


The Mortal Face

by Saxony55



Category: Mortal Instruments Series - Cassandra Clare
Genre: M/M, Non-Canon Relationship, Slash, Slow Build
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-09-14
Updated: 2013-10-28
Packaged: 2017-12-26 14:27:42
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 28
Words: 32,268
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/967019
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Saxony55/pseuds/Saxony55
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Jace sees Simon in the Pandemonium Club and everything changes.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> I saw a gif of Jace and Simon and this whole story just fell into place in my head and now I can't get it out.

Chapter 1

The music throbbed; he could feel the bass pulsating through his bones. His eyes kept tabs on Isabelle as they waded through the throng of people dancing in the club. He could sense Alec right behind him; he could also feel his eyes on him, but as usual he ignored that fact. They all kept a watchful eye on the demon they were hunting. He walked slowly towards the dance floor his eyes scouring over the room. Jace let his gaze wander and that’s when he first saw him. The boy with the dark hair following the girl with the red hair and his breath literally caught in his throat. He couldn’t take his eyes off of him and he didn’t want to. It only took one look, but Jace knew in that instant that he was hooked. Isabelle’s voice in his ear brought him back in the moment.

“I’m going to lure him into the back. You two back off. I’ll take him into the storage closet and then you can enter”, she turned in her white dress, her black hair whipping through the air like ink spilling over a canvas, and then she walked toward the blue haired demon. 

Jace knew Isabelle would smile and flirt and get her way, it always worked. So he took the moment to let his eyes fall over the crowd again searching for the brunette. He found him dancing with the red haired girl; his body swayed to the music, his jeans tight, but not tight enough Jace thought. The t-shirt with the words Made in Brooklyn across the front and Jace couldn’t help but smile. He watched as the boy took off his glasses for just a moment to wipe away the sweat from the bridge of his nose. Jace’s heart raced at just how beautiful the boy was. He wanted to cross the smoke filled room take his hand in his and walk straight out of the club with him. He wanted to make him his. 

Alec pushed Jace in the ribs, “Jace, go in. Isabelle is waiting on us”. He shook off the boy from his mind, pulled out his blade, and entered the room with Alec. Isabelle already had him restrained with her whip. The excitement of the next part had Jace’s blood pumping fast, the smile on his face turned into a laugh. 

Normally he would question the demon for information, but the dark haired boy was still on his mind and he just wanted to get back out into the club so he could watch a little more. He took the blade in his hand and in one blindingly fast motion gutted the demon. Black inky blood splattered across the room and he was on the floor flailing and then he was just gone. Jace turned grinning wickedly wiping the blood from his cheek when he saw the red haired girl staring directly at him.

She turned trying to run, but thankfully her feet were entangled in electrical wire and she stumbled falling head first into the door knocking herself out. Jace looked back at Alec and Isabelle who looked shocked at the scene in front of them, “She could see us”, Alec stated just as Isabelle exclaimed, “Why didn’t we question him, there could be others here?”

Jace just stood there unsure for one of the first times in his life about what to do next. He walked over towards the girl, “She looked right at me. How is that possible?”

“It’s not, she’s a mundane. We must have just thought she saw us”, Isabelle said calmly.

Alec shook his head, “No, she definitely saw us. We should take her back with us and question her”

Before they could decide Jace watched the door open and his beautiful brown haired boy walk in with the bouncer, “Clary”, he exclaimed dropping to his knees next to the unconscious girl. “Call 911”, he told the bouncer as he cradled the girls head in his lap the red hair spilling over him and Jace’s stomach wrenched in jealousy. He watched as the boy tried to wake her.

“Should we grab them both?” Alec’s voice whispered over his ear.

“No, you two go back to the Institute. I’m going to follow these two and find out about the girl”, he wasn’t interested in the girl at all, but he fully intended to follow the boy.

The girl started to wake up then, “Simon, what happened”, she was staring up, but she hadn’t looked at Jace yet.

“I found you on the floor, you don’t remember?” She started to sit up and the realization passed over her eyes; she looked up at Jace seeing him again, the memory washing over her, and then she screamed. “Clary, what is it? Clary stop” Simon tried to calm her, but Jace’s presence was making that impossible. She trembled in fear as Jace squatted down next to them.

“I’m not going to hurt you, stop screaming, it’s quite irritating”, Jace tried to get through to her.

Clary’s hand was faster than Jace would have thought as it stung across his cheek, “You killed him”

Jace touched his face as the burn set in from the slap and Simon took Clary in his arms, “What are you doing? Who was killed? Who are you talking to?”

Clary just looked from Simon to Jace in confusion, “Don’t you see him?”

“See who?” Simon looked around the room, his eyes washing over Jace unable to see him.

“Him”, she pointed directly at Jace who wasn’t close enough for her to slap him again. “The blonde in all the tight leather”

Simon just looked at her as if she had two heads, “There’s no one here, Clary. You hit your head pretty bad. The bouncer is calling 911”

“Good because I just witnessed a murder”

Jace stood crossing his arms across his chest, “No one will believe you. They can’t see me. Only you can, but I have no idea how you’re doing it”

Simon pulled Clary’s face to look at him, “You must be seeing things. This place is just an empty storage room. We’re taking you to the hospital to get checked out”, before she could object the door burst open and there were EMT’s rushing around checking Clary over and then ushering her from the room, out of the club, and out into the New York City night. Jace lingered back from them, but kept his eye on what was happening. He watched Simon crawl into the ambulance with Clary and then they were gone in a flurry of red lights racing through the traffic.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A meeting at Java Joes and things get even more different

Chapter 2

Jace stood leaning against the telephone pole across from the nondescript house with the loud music blaring through the garage door. He knew Simon was there since he’d followed him this morning. He still wasn’t sure what it was about the mundane that had his whole body in knots. He just knew he needed to be near him. That somehow he was important. The garage door opened and he watched Simon and another boy walking towards the street so Jace moved closer to them. “So you’re coming to the poetry reading at Java Jones tonight, right?”

“I don’t know Eric, I should probably go check in on Clary”

“Is she going to be okay?”

Simon shrugged, “I hope so. Her mom was furious last night when I had to call her to say she was in the hospital. Apparently I’m a bad influence now”

“You are”, Eric laughed, “But, I’m pretty sure it was Clary who dragged you to that place last night”

“Oh it was, you know that’s not my scene, but try telling Ms. Fray that”, Jace watched as Simon ran his hand through his hair and kicked at the little rocks on the street. “Anyway I want to see her and her mom won’t let her out again.”

“So check in on her and then come to the reading. It’s not like you’re going to spend the night with her”, Simon gulped at those words and blushed a little. Jace twisted his hand into a fist as the jealousy overtook him. He wanted to make Simon blush like that.

“Yea, okay I’ll be there”

Jace knew he had to get back to the Institute, they’d all be wondering where he was so he took a final look in Simon’s direction smiled at knowing where to find him later tonight and headed back home. He had plenty of spent up frustration to burn off in the training room. 

Alec was a more than willing sparring partner and a few hours later his body was humming from all the energy pouring through him. Jace showered; threw on a pair of tight leather pants and a soft blue button up shirt, then glanced at his self quickly in the mirror. He smiled at his own reflection then headed out into the city for Java Jones. He saw Simon sitting on one of the plush couches in the corner, he was there, but didn’t look happy. Jace checked his arm making sure his invisibility rune had worn off, smiling at the pale white scar that remained. He walked in like he owned the place, ordered a coffee black, and took the seat right next to Simon. 

He noticed Simon’s eyes flicker his way and then look back at Eric on the stage now with pink in his hair. Jace just shook his head at the whole mundane scene. He would never be in a place like this if it wasn’t for Simon. He knew it wasn’t right to be longing for a human, but he also knew that wanting him wasn’t wrong. A blonde girl across from them kept staring at the two of them, she attempted a weak smile at Jace, but he looked away from her. A loud noise from the stage caught his attention and then Eric started to spout the strangest verse he’d ever heard. Jace did his best to stifle the laugh in the back of his throat, but Simon noticed it leaning closer to Jace, “It’s really bad isn’t it?”

Jace’s heart almost stopped. He wasn’t sure he was quite prepared to start a conversation, but he knew that was what he’d come here for tonight, “Yes, it’s terrible actually. I’m Jace, by the way”

“Simon”, they shook hands, “ and he’s a friend of mine”, he said nodding toward the stage.

“Sorry”, Jace apologized.

“For insulting his poetry or that he’s my friend”, Simon sipped on his coffee.

Jace relaxed, “Both, I guess. You should get new friends”

“My best friend is pretty awesome, but she couldn't be here tonight”, Simon’s smile faded as he talked about Clary.

“So that makes her smarter than both of us”

Simon laughed and Jace had to resist the urge to kiss his perfect lips. “She is smart, but her mom just wouldn't let her come out tonight and I found out that she’s taking her away for the whole summer on some vacation”, Simon looked away from the blonde stranger and shook his head, “I don’t know why I told you all that”

“It’s fine, you’re more interesting than the poetry”, Jace hoped he got the point across that he was interested, but he wasn't sure Simon got it as he continued to talk about Clary.

“Yea, anything is more interesting than that. I guess I’m just bummed cause we had all these plans this summer and now she won’t be here. I don’t know what to do with myself without her”

The question Jace had been longing to know the answer to escaped his lips, “Is she your girlfriend?”

“No”, he looked upset by this, “Just a friend. I’d like more, but I don’t know”

“So you’re straight?” The question was out of his mouth before his mind had thought it through.

Simon’s eyes grew large, “Oh”, as if understanding finally dawned on him, “OH, um”

“Don’t answer that”, he looked back at the stage, he was sure the embarrassment was making his face beet red. He knew he should just leave, this could never work, but then Simon was pulling his vibrating phone from his pocket. Jace listened intently.

“Hey Clary”, his face twisted into confusion, “Clary, Clary are you okay?” He got up walking out of the coffee shop and Jace followed him. “Clary answer me. Clary, Ms Fray, hello anyone”, and then he ran. He ran fast through the loud city unknowing that Jace was quick on his trail.


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Simon faces the Ravener demon and Jace has some explaining to do

Chapter 3

Jace ran, his feet pounding the pavement right behind Simon, but he realized he hadn’t come prepared. He looked down suddenly feeling naked without his gear, but thankful for the one weapon hidden in his boot. Simon was faster than he would have imagined, but he kept pace with him hanging back just far enough to not be noticed. It was hot out and Jace could feel the sweat dripping down his back. He wasn’t even sure why he was running after Simon, but he felt that he was supposed to. Simon ran into a three story building past a sign that read Madame Dorothea’s and up a flight of stairs. Jace stopped just outside the door unsure if he should follow him upstairs. He waited and then slowly entered the building.

It was dark inside the stairwell and he of course had left his witchlight back at the Institute. He took the stairs slowly one at a time listening to every creak his feet made as he made his way up. It was fairly quiet and then he heard the crash above him. He forgot about being careful and not being seen and flew up the stairs as fast as possible pulling his blade from his boot and bursting into the ransacked apartment. His senses heightened ready for anything and yet still unprepared for the sight in front of him. There was a Ravener demon rushing toward Simon who was on the floor doing his damnedest to get away from the monster in front of him. Jace let his training take over slashing the demon in half and then watching it fade to dust and disappear. 

Simon’s heart was beating out of his chest as he glanced from Jace to where the monster had been, “What the fuck was that thing?”

“We need to get you out of here”, Jace stepped forward and offered his hand.

“Is this where you say come with me if you want to live? I’ve already seen that movie”, Simon stood without the aid of Jace’s hand that was still waiting to be taken. 

“I don’t know that movie, but yes you should come with me”, Jace pulled back his hand and refused to show on his face how much Simon had hurt him by not accepting his helping hand. 

Simon brushed off his pants and adjusted his glasses, “I don’t even know you. All I know is my best friend and her mom have disappeared and that there was some thing after me a few moments ago”

“That was a demon and I’ll help you find your friends”

Jace followed Simon’s eyes as he looked him up and down, “Why would you do that? I just met you tonight and how did you kill that thing, that demon? Who are you really?” Before Jace could answer any of those questions Simon had a realization, “Actually, you fit the description of someone Clary saw at the club, someone who murdered someone. I believe she described him as a blonde in tight leather. Was that you?”

Jace smiled, “The one and only”

Simon stepped back, “But I couldn’t see you then. I thought she was going crazy. Where is Clary?”

“I don’t know, but I’ll explain everything if you come with me. We need to get out of here before there’s another demon attack”

“No, we should call the cops”

“The cops can’t help with this. Look I’m a shadowhunter, I fight demons. It’s what I’m trained to do, it’s my life and somehow your friend is mixed up in our world. I want to help you”, Jace wasn’t sure what he’d said to convince him, but Simon nodded in acceptance and left with him. They walked side by side for miles neither saying a word which was strange since Jace could feel Simon’s questions behind his eyes just dying to be answered, but he waited until they were in the Institute before Simon said anything.

“Okay, tell me everything that you know and I’ll tell you what the demon told me”

Jace turned to face him, “The demon spoke to you?”

“Yea, now come on pretty boy tell me what I need to know to find Clary and her mom”

“You really think I’m pretty?” Jace quipped as he moved down the corridor.

Simon groaned in a way that made Jace’s toes curl, “Will you just tell me what I need to know?”

“Yea”, Jace paused in the hallway, “Like I said, I’m a shadowhunter. I was at the club the other night hunting down a demon. Your friend Clary saw me do it even though as a mundane she shouldn’t have been able to.”

Simon interrupted him, “Wait, what’s a mundane?”

“Someone from the human world, now stop interrupting me if you want to hear this”, Simon just nodded so Jace continued, “She saw me and some fellow shadowhunters kill a demon. He was disguised as a human so she freaked out, fell, and hit her head. When you came back I was there right in front of you, but I had a Mark on me that made it where you couldn’t see me. Clary tried to tell you I was there, but of course mundanes only believe what they see. Tonight I followed you from the coffee house because I heard the conversation and thought there could be some trouble and that I could help, obviously I was right. That Ravener would have killed you if I hadn’t shown up. There is something about your friend that is drawing demons, but I have no idea what that might be. That’s all I know about Clary”

Simon had just watched him the whole conversation letting it all sink in, “So why were you at the coffee house anyway?”

Jace gulped he wasn’t sure how to answer that without outing his intentions more than he already had, “Would you believe coincidence?”

“No”, Simon shook his head and crossed his arms over his chest waiting for an answer

Jace just smiled at him, “Let’s just say I think you’re pretty too”


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A confession, some discussions, an argument, and something unexpected

Chapter 4

“What does that have to do with anything?” Simon questioned him waiting for more.

Jace took a deep breath and told him the truth, “You were the reason I was at Java Jones. I wanted to see you”

Simon still looked confused, “But how did you even know I’d be there?”

“Does it really matter right now? I mean shouldn’t we be trying to find Clary”, Jace was fine with letting Simon know he liked him, but he didn’t think he should know about the whole stalking him aspect of that morning.

He agreed, “You’re right, Clary is what matters. Before the demon came after me he mentioned a name, someone named Valentine”

“Valentine, But Valentine is dead”, Jace shrugged it off sure the demon was lying, but why would a demon lie to a mundane. It didn’t make any sense.

“Are you sure because it didn’t sound like it to me? Who is this Valentine anyway?”

He started walking down the hall again, “He was a shadowhunter who didn’t agree with the Clave, that’s sort of like our government. There was a battle at the Accords which is a treaty of sorts that we have with Downworlders which are vampires, werewolves, faeries, and the like. The battle didn’t go his way and he died in a fire with his family. That’s all I really know.”

“You’re fucking with me right? I mean vampires and faeries, if you don’t want to tell me at least think of a better lie”

Jace spun around on the heel of his boot, “I’m not lying. It’s all true”

“Next you’ll tell me wizards are among us too”

“Well there are warlocks”, Jace turned when he heard footsteps coming their way.

Alec stormed toward him with a vengeance, “By the Angel Jace, what in the hell were you thinking letting a mundane in here”

“This mundane was attacked by a Ravener demon and his friend and her mom are missing. I’m pretty sure their involved in the shadow world and the demon spoke of Valentine”, Jace explained to Alec

“Valentine is dead”, Alec stated matter of factly, “And this boy shouldn’t be in here”

Simon jumped in, “I’m not a boy”

Alec glanced at him as if he were but a fly on the wall, “Okay little Mundie girl, I really don’t care what you are I just want you out of here”

Anger flamed behind Simon’s eyes, “I’m not a girl either you jackass.”

Alec turned full of fire now himself and went to shove Simon, but before he could barely raise his hand Jace was there between them stopping the blow, “Don’t touch him, Alec”, Alec gulped at the possessive nature in Jace’s tone and stepped back.

Alec shook it off not wanting Jace to see the hurt on his face, “Whatever, just get him out of here. He’s already seen too much”

“I’m going to help him”, Jace said full of conviction. Alec walked away his black leather boots stomping loudly down the hall. Jace looked back at Simon, “We should go talk to Hodge, maybe he’ll know what to do”

Simon fell into step next to Jace as they walked through the twists and turns of the Institute, “So who’s Hodge and why did that guy hate me so much?”

“Hodge is my tutor”, Jace paused, “And Alec doesn’t hate you he just doesn’t know you and the unknown scares him.”

“He didn’t look scared to me”

“He’s scared for me. He doesn’t want me getting hurt. We’re like brothers”

Simon cocked his head, “He sure doesn’t look at you like you’re his brother”

“I know”, was all Jace said in return. Then they were at the doors to the library. He opened the doors knowing Hodge would be at his desk with his head in some book, but he was only looking at Simon as he opened the doors wanting to see his expression. It didn’t disappoint, Simon’s face was one of wander as he looked around the immense room full of books and history. “Impressive isn’t it”, Simon could only nod in answer still looking around, “Hodge I need your help with something”

It took a while to explain everything to Hodge, he would nod when he understood something or ask a question when something didn’t make sense, but when he was all caught up on the whole story he didn’t have any ideas on where to go next in the search for the Frays. “I’m sorry I’m not any help to you, but I have no idea why demons would be going after mundanes in the city and Valentine is dead. I’m certain of it.” Hodges voice had an edge to it as he continued, “Jace it’s for the best if you just take him home”, he nodded toward Simon, “This isn’t a matter for you to handle. I’ll alert the Clave on the situation and see if they find it worth pursuing.” Hodge went back to reading his book as if to say the subject was closed.

“Tell the Clave if you must, but I’m not letting this go, Hodge and Simon is staying here for the time being”, Jace stated.

Simon’s voice faltered, “I’m what? Uh no I’m not, I’m going home or at least out to try and find Clary”

Jace ushered him away from the library, “A demon attacked you today and there could be more. It’s safest here. We will give you shelter until we find your friends”

“I seriously doubt a demon is waiting under my bed”, Simon said, but there wasn’t much conviction in his voice as if he didn’t believe his own words. Jace ignored him leading him into the residential wing past dozens of open bedrooms. “Who are all these rooms for?”

“Visiting shadowhunters”, Jace answered.

Simon looked in awe at the expansive halls of rooms, “How many are staying here?”

“Right now it’s Alec that you met earlier, his sister Isabelle, their parents and younger brother are normally here, but they are away right now, and of course Hodge and me”

“What about your parents?” Simon asked him.

“My parents are dead”, that’s all Jace intended to say on that subject.

Simon seemed to get the point, “So that ass from earlier is the only guy our age you have to hang out with”, Jace nodded, “Then no wonder”

“No wonder what?” Jace questioned.

“No wonder you came looking for me”, Simon smiled at him and Jace stopped in front of an empty room.

“This is where you’re staying. I’m right across the hall”, Jace motioned to the other door next to them.

“I never said I was staying”, Simon told him, but then he went in the room and sat down on the bed. Jace just leaned against the doorway watching him, “So what’s next? We need a plan to find Clary”

“Yea, I was thinking about that. I guess the obvious idea is to go back to Clary’s house and look for clues”

Simon leaped off the bed, “Okay, let’s go”

“Not yet, it’s nowhere near safe right now. We should give it a few days and let the scene calm down. We can’t risk running into any more demons”

“What? A few days, no way, Clary could be anywhere by then”, Simon was hysterical, “We have to go now. I have to find her. I’ll go alone if you won’t help me”, he started to move past Jace and out of the Institute.

Jace moved quickly without really thinking as he hit the pressure point on the base of Simon’s neck knocking him out. Simon’s body went loose in one fluid motion and Jace gathered him in his arms and carried him over to the bed laying him down. He whispered softly to him even though he knew he was unable to hear him, “Sorry, but this is for your own good”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope everyone is enjoying this as much as I've been enjoying writing it. I am currently working on Chapter 10 so I'll continue to post a chapter a day.


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jace and Simon have a disagreement about bondage, haha, sort of

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This story has a hold on me and it won't let go. I'm currently on chapter 13 and can't wait for you all to see where this is going. Don't worry there are some great Jimon moments coming, just be patient.

Chapter 5

Jace knew he’d be angry with him and that he might not ever forgive him, but he also knew that he had to keep Simon safe. He hated himself as he shackled Simon’s hands to the headboard, but this was a necessary evil. In a few days they would go to Clary’s house and look for clues; he just hoped Simon didn’t resent him when he woke up. The image of Simon lying there unconscious and restrained excited Jace in a way that he’d never felt before. He also knew he couldn’t act on any of the naughty ideas popping in his head. Simon was straight, he obviously had feelings for Clary and Jace realized all of that. He also knew he couldn’t stand it if anything happened to the beautiful boy lying in front of him. 

It took about twenty minutes for Simon to come around. He was still groggy at first opening his eyes and trying to remember where he was and then he saw Jace and he smiled. When he tried to sit up, he groaned attempting to reach for the back of his head, but he was unable to. The knowledge that he was cuffed to the bed dawned on his face and fear and anger rose in his eyes. “What in the hell are you doing? If this is some kinky sex thing you better fucking unchain me right now, Jace”

That was the first time Simon had ever said his name and it was full of so much hate that Jace’s stomach clenched in pain. “I can’t do that, this is for your own good and believe me I don’t have to chain people up to have them sleep with me. That isn’t what this is”

Simon kept pulling on the chains as if sheer force would break them, “Let me go”, he screamed out.

“You just have to trust me. I can’t let you run out there halfcocked trying to save your friend. You’ll only get yourself killed. I’m just trying to keep you safe.” Jace tried to explain what he was doing.

“You can’t just go around chaining people to beds. I have rights and I have to find Clary”, Simon was desperately trying to get free.

Jace walked over to the bed reaching over Simon and placed his hands over Simon’s wrists trying to calm him down, “Please don’t fight this. I promise you just give me three days of waiting and then we will go after her”, Jace looked directly into Simon’s dark brown eyes, “I can’t let anything hurt you”

“Anything except for you right?” Simon spit in Jace’s face.

Jace wiped away the spit from his cheek, “I’ll never hurt you Simon”

“Are you serious”, Simon spat at him, “You’re hurting me right now”

Jace stood up walking around the room with his arms crossed wishing they were a shield over his emotions, “I’ll go get you some aspirin, your head must be killing you”, and he walked out of the room not wanting Simon to see the hurt plainly written all over his face. He didn’t think he was gone from the room very long, but when he returned he found Simon’s wrists bloodied from where he was trying to pull them out of his bonds. “What are you doing? Simon stop, you’re hurting yourself”, Jace grabbed some towels and the basin of water from the dresser and attempted to clean the blood from Simon’s arms.

The pain on Simon’s face was palpable, “Just let me go, Jace, please”, he was begging him, and Jace could feel himself giving in to his pleas.

“But you’ll leave”, Jace stated as he continued to clean Simon’s wounds.

“I have to. I have to save my friend. She needs me, don’t you understand that?” Simon was soft and easy with his words.

“I do, I understand the need to guard and protect. It’s what I’ve trained for my whole life.”

Simon looked at Jace with pleading eyes, “Then please help me find Clary and her mom. I can’t lose her”

“I know you think I’m hindering you, but I am helping you. That’s what all this is about. You can’t save her if you’re dead”

Simon’s words bit back at Jace, “And I can’t save her if she’s dead either”

“If whoever has her was going to kill her, she would have been dead in her apartment. They took her, that means for whatever reason she is more important to them alive. A few days of lying low and letting the enemy feel safe is only good for us and in turn good for Clary. I know what I’m doing now take this fucking aspirin”, Jace was forceful with his words, he knew he was being a prick, but he had to make Simon understand. He shoved the pill down Simon’s throat, made him sip on the water, and was positive he’d swallowed before placing Simon’s head back on the pillow. “Now quit trying to escape, it won’t do you any good, and you’re only hurting yourself”

Simon seemed to listen as he finally stopped struggling and let Jace bandage his wrists. Jace took the wingback chair across the room, folded his arms and watched Simon. He wouldn’t make the same mistake in leaving him unattended again. Simon just lay there staring at the ceiling refusing to speak to the blonde across the room that was holding him captive against his will.


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Pizza and a disagreement

Chapter 6

It was a few hours later, Simon had drifted off to sleep, and Jace was writing in his journal, when Isabelle found them. “What have you done now, Jace Wayland?”

“Oh I’m into bondage now, didn’t you get the memo?” He just smirked at her.

“Alec told me you brought a mundane into the Institute, but I was sure he was joking. He shouldn’t be here”, Isabelle stated as she nodded in Simon’s direction.

“He was attacked by a demon. I saved him. His friends are missing and I’m pretty sure they were taken by demons or maybe even Valentine, who knows, but I’m helping him, okay?”, it was a rhetorical question.

“Valentine is dead, and exactly how is chaining someone up helping them?” Isabelle walked toward Simon and went to grab at the chains holding his wrists.

“Don’t touch him”, the tone of Jace’s voice alone was enough to stop her, but then in a flash he was there stepping in between her and the bed.

Simon woke up then, “Help me, please, help me. This crazy guy is holding me here against my will”

Isabelle just stared at Jace, “He obviously wants to leave. You should let him.”

“He stays and that’s final”

“Whatever”, she whipped around slapping Jace in the face with her long black hair, “It’s your funeral”. She started to leave the room even as Simon was begging for her help. “Silly little mundie, sorry, but I’m not going against Jace’s wishes, like you said he’s crazy”

She was almost gone when Jace stopped her, “Hey Izzy, could you bring us up some food?”

Isabelle smiled at him, “You want me to cook you two up something?”

“Oh for the love of Raziel no, just order us some pizza”, Isabelle huffed out and stomped away as Jace laughed at her.

Simon finally spoke to Jace again, “Why wouldn’t she help me?”

“Because I’m a shadowhunter like her and you’re just a mundane, no offense of course”, Jace took his seat back in the chair across the room.

“But you kidnapped me. Aren’t you shadowhunters supposed to protect people?”

“We do”, Jace smiled at him, “From demons, but not from each other. She knows I have a good reason for doing this”

“You are all crazy, every last one of you”, Simon muttered to his self.

“You’ll thank me for this one day”, Jace went back to his journal.

“No, I won’t”, Simon was silent for a while thinking everything through, “You’re not going to let me go, are you?”

“In a few days I will, I promise”, Simon only nodded having no other choice but than to believe him. 

Isabelle was back a little bit later with Alec and a couple of pizzas, “I didn’t know what you like Mundie, so I hope you enjoy supreme or mushrooms and pineapple”

“My name is Simon, not Mundie, and I’m not hungry”

“Suit yourself, more for us”, Alec said as he grabbed one of the mushroom and pineapple slices and dug in.

Jace grabbed the supreme pizza and carried it over to the bed, “I’m going to release one of your arms and you are going to eat something. You’ll need your energy when we go after Clary”. The last sentence seemed to make sense to Simon and he nodded in agreement so Jace unlocked one of his arms after pulling the key up from the necklace around his neck. Jace watched as Simon meticulously picked all the olives off of his two slices before devouring them. He obviously had been starving and Jace felt horrible for not thinking of food before now.

Alec spoke up from the floor, “So seriously Jace, what are you doing with this mundane?”

“I’m helping him”

“Yea I can see that”, Isabelle laughed.

“I couldn’t let him rush out of here and get himself killed. We are waiting a few days to go back to the house where he was attacked, but he didn’t want to wait so I restrained him.”

Alec nodded, “It makes sense to wait, guess the Mundie didn’t want to listen. Demons are nothing to trifle with little boy”

“Call me little boy one more time”, Simon was full of anger again.

Alec stood up and sat next to him on the bed, “What are you going to do about it, little Mundie boy?” Simon kicked Alec in the ear almost knocking him off the bed. “Why you little”, Alec turned in rage ready to throttle the life out of Simon.

“Enough”, Jace said as he grabbed Alec by the throat and pushed him away and hard into the wall. “He told you his name is Simon and he’s under my protection”. Alec wrapped his hand around his own throat, his face bright red in anger or embarrassment and he fled the room. Isabelle grabbed their pizza and ran after her brother.

“Thanks”, Simon said sheepishly from the bed.

“You’re welcome, now if I unchain you will you stay here and trust my plan, will you trust me?” Jace stood over him key in hand and Simon nodded.

“Yea, we’ll do it your way. You’re probably my best chance of getting her back in one piece”

Jace unbound his other arm, “I’m your only chance”, he left the pizza behind, and left Simon’s room, but he made sure to lock the door behind him as he left.


	7. A couple unexpected things

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Posting a little later today than usual. Sorry about that. I had work, errands, then I got lost on Tumblr. I'm cookedgrobie on there if you want to follow. Then i started watching Camelot thanks to the gorgeous Jamie Campbell Bower. Finished two episodes and really liking it so far. 
> 
>  
> 
> Anyways I'm sure you all just want me to get on with the update so here you go.

Chapter 7

Simon had been true to his word for the next few days and had stayed put in the Institute. Jace had gone over Shadowhunter history with him, and even showed him some basic training so Simon could better defend himself. He knew it was still risky, but he had promised Simon three days and Simon had honored his part of the deal. Jace had a bad feeling as he put on his gear and had Alec place his Marks on him. It was time to leave the safety of the Institute and search the Fray house despite the feeling in his gut that he should wait another day.

Alec and Isabelle wanted to go with them, but Jace dismissed the idea. He wouldn’t put them in harms way. He wanted Simon to stay behind as well, but he knew that Simon wouldn’t have listened to him. He met him in the hallway and they left the Institute together. “Are you ready for this”, Jace asked him as they cut across a busy intersection.

“Ready as I’ll ever be, I just hope there is something there that leads us to Clary or all this is just a dead end. I can’t deal with that”, Simon told him, “I also don’t know how I’m going to deal with my mom after all this either”

“You told her you were at Eric’s house, right?” Jace asked as they stopped to let a car pass.

“Yea”, Simon said, “But I’m not sure she believes me. I don’t usually stay away from home this long for band practice. Plus she knows that Clary and her mom are missing. She said it was all over the news.”

“And you said her mom’s friend Luke wouldn’t know anything?”

“He’s more mundane than I am, so I doubt it”, a few miles later they found themselves standing right outside Clary’s building, “Well here we are”

“Let me go first”, Jace took the lead walking past the crime scene tape and up the dark stairwell using his witchlight to guide him. He could feel Simon close behind him. There was more crime tape across the front door of Clary’s apartment and Jace bent down making his way under it and into the living room. He pocketed the witchlight since the sun was streaming light through the windows and pulled out his blade just in case. Simon tripped coming through the doorway and fell into Jace’s back. He caught himself and steadied Simon who blushed in embarrassment, “Careful”.

Simon mouthed the word, “Sorry”, to Jace when they heard a noise coming from Clary’s mom, Jocelyn’s’ room. Jace moved gracefully across the room soundlessly, but Simon’s feet treaded with more sound that Jace would have liked. Jace found a white blonde haired boy about his own age standing in the room holding a box.

“Where are the Fray’s”, Jace asked the stranger.

The boy slowly put down the wooden box and turned around to face Jace, “Ah, Jonathan Christopher, we meet at last”

Jace was stunned, dropping his weapon to his side, “How do you know my name”

The boy just smirked at him, “Actually it’s my name, not yours”

“I don’t understand”, Jace was confused.

“Of course you don’t”, the blonde haired boy looked past Jace, “Who do you have with you?”

Simon spoke up, “Simon Lewis, where is Clary”

“She’s fine, she’s with our parents, I’m Clary’s brother, Jonathan Christopher Morgenstern”

Jace pushed Simon back behind him, “Morgenstern, as in Valentine. Valentine is dead”

“No, dear old dad is very much alive, our family is rejoined. You two should just forget about them. I just came back for a few personal effects.”

Simon whispered in Jace’s ear, “He’s lying. Clary doesn’t have a brother”

Jonathan could still hear every word, “It’s true she didn’t know about me, but I assure you I am her brother. Dad and I are taking very good care of her. Now leave or I’ll have to make you leave”

“You kidnapped her”, Simon screamed at him, “She couldn’t have gone willingly by the looks of this place”, he motioned toward the ransacked drawers and the paintings cut out of their frames. “I’m not going anywhere unless it’s with you to where she is”

Jonathan just smiled at him, and it wasn’t a kind smile, there was something evil about his grin, “Some friends of my father’s made the mess while they were looking for something.”

Jace interrupted him, “Really, what were they looking for?”

“None of your concern”, he pocketed the box and moved towards the window, but Jace was faster blocking his path, “You shouldn’t have done that”, both boys raised their blades, but it was Jonathan who took the first strike. Every attack was thwarted by Jace as they battled in the tiny bedroom. Simon tried to help, but all he did was get in the way so that Jonathan could grab him around the neck and hold his blade against his throat, “Come one step closer and I’ll kill him”.

Jace froze right where he was, “You’re a shadowhunter, Jonathan, you wouldn’t hurt a human”, he hoped it was true, but even as the words passed his lips he knew the boy would.

He laughed and Simon’s eyes were wide in fear, “Of course I will, if you make me”

“Let him go”, Jace told him forcefully.

“And then you’ll let me go”

“Yes”, Jace lied.

Jonathan took the hilt of his weapon and slammed it into Simon’s temple and let Simon fall to the floor. Jace flew into Jonathan in a rage without thinking, going for the kill, but it was Jonathan who had the upper hand as Jace felt the knife slam straight into his own stomach. He looked down disbelievingly at the blood on his shirt. Jonathan jumped out the window getting away and Jace crumpled to the floor.


	8. Simon gets an unexpected phone call

Chapter 8

Jace was lying down, but he knew he wasn’t on the floor anymore, he could feel the softness beneath him and the sheets under his fingers. He fluttered his eyes, but the light was so bright he decided to keep them shut. “Jace”, he heard a voice next to him. “Hey, I think he’s waking up”, it was Simon’s and Jace couldn’t help from smiling.

He opened his eyes to find Simon standing over him and then Isabelle and Alec were there too. As his eyes focused he realized he was in the hospital wing of the Institute, but the last thing he remembered was being at Clary’s and being stabbed. “How did I get here?”

Alec spoke up, “Simon carried you out of that house. I think he would have carried you all the way home”

Simon interrupted, “But Luke, I told you about him, he’s Jocelyn’s friend. He showed up thankfully in his truck, and he helped me get you here. You’ll never believe the next part, Luke used to be a Shadowhunter. He knew right where the Institute was and everything which is good because I’m not sure I’d have remembered how to get here in my panic”

Jace closed his eyes again and heard Isabelle speak up, “Don’t bombard him with everything at once. He’s been asleep for two days”

“Two days”, Jace’s eyes flew open.

“You were hurt pretty bad”, Isabelle explained to him, “Your wound was deep, and there was some traces of some type of demon poison, but fortunately the runes eventually worked, although they took their time about it. You lost a lot of blood.” She sat down next to him on the bed. Jace could see the fear on her face and he couldn’t help but wonder how close to death he must have come. Isabelle nodded up at Simon, “This one here hasn’t left your side since he brought you back”.

Jace looked over at Simon and he almost thought he saw a blush in his cheeks, “You were hurt and it was my fault. If you had died I’d never forgiven myself”

“If he died, I’d have killed you myself”, Alec interjected. 

“It was no one’s fault, but mine”, Jace said, “I shouldn’t have let Jonathan get to me like that. He knocked you out”, he looked at Simon with worry in his eyes, “Are you okay?”

“Fine”, he said, “I woke up right after he stabbed you.”

Hodge’s voice rang through the room, “Enough, he needs his rest, leave him alone for a while”, Isabelle and Alec dispersed quickly, but Simon stayed sitting by Jace’s side, “You too, Simon”

“I’d like him to stay Hodge, besides I’ve been resting for days apparently. I’m feeling fine now”, Jace told him. Hodge just nodded and left the room. “I’m glad you’re okay”, he told Simon without looking at him.

“I’m glad you’re okay too, you had me scared for a while there”, Simon paused and Jace thought he was going to say something else, but Simon’s phone rang breaking the moment, “Hello”, he looked at the caller id, “Clary?” Jace could only hear one side of the conversation, “Are you okay?” Another pause and then, “Yea I met him, he stabbed my friend”, Jace liked Simon calling him his friend. “You don’t sound very sorry”, another pause, and then “When are you coming home?” Jace just watched the expressions change on Simon’s face, “What do you mean you’re not?” Simon got up moving around the room in frustration, “They’re not your family, I’m your family. You’re on the wrong side Clary”, he was getting angry, and “I understand more than you think I do. I’m worried about you and your mom and Luke is worried too. Where are you?” Simon fisted his hand over and over again in irritation, “Clary you’re my best friend, let me in, please. I’ve been so worried.” He was begging and the pain in Simon’s voice cut through his chest like a knife slicing him all over again. He wanted nothing more than to help him through this. Simon looked at Jace holding the phone in his hand, “She hung up on me”

“What did she say?” 

Simon didn’t answer him he was doing something on his phone, pressing buttons, and then he smiled, “Gotcha”

“What?” Jace waited for an explanation.

“I’ve been waiting for her phone to be on so I could track her, it’s been off this whole time, but since she called I was able to find her location with the app on my phone. She’s still in the city. I have the address”, Simon showed Jace the location on his phone.

“You can do that?” Jace stared at the phone in Simon’s hand in amazement.

“Yes we muggles have magic too”, Simon joked at him.

“What’s a muggle?” Jace looked confused.

“Muggle, mundane, whatever”, Simon rolled his eyes, “Never mind, we need to find Clary”

Jace nodded, “We need to check out that location before heading out, but we also need to move fast.” Everything came together pretty quickly; he had Simon do some research on the address to find out who owned it, and he got Alec and Isabelle involved. He knew he couldn’t handle trying to do this alone again. 

“Looks like the place belongs to a Magnus Bane”, Simon told them as soon as he found it.

Isabelle made some calls reaching out to a few Downworlders that she knew and came back to tell them, “So Magnus Bane is the High Warlock of Brooklyn, and he’s having a party tonight. I just don’t get what he would have to do with Valentine?”

“I don’t know, but we need to get ready and go find out, looks like we are going to a party”, Jace was already getting out of his bed.

“No, Jace, you are just getting better, we should wait”, Alec tried to stop him.

Jace ignored his plea, “Can’t wait, we have no idea how long Clary will be at that address, we go now”

Isabelle looked at all of them and shook her head, “Not dressed like this we don’t”


	9. Chapter 9

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A party at Magnus Bane's

Chapter 9

They all stood in the hallway waiting for Simon; he was still in his room getting dressed, Jace knocked anxiously, “You need a little help in there?” Alec looked irritated at Jace’s words that were laced with flirtation.

The door opened and Simon stepped out and Jace’s jaw nearly unhinged and fell to the floor, “If any of you laugh I’m putting my jeans and t-shirt back on”, Simon warned them as he looked extremely uncomfortable.

Isabelle spoke up, “Why would we laugh, you look hot”, this made Simon smile.

Alec just shook his head in annoyance and started toward the front door of the Institute, they all followed in their tight leather outfits. Jace walked beside Simon, he leaned in close enough to smell him. His scent was that of spice and lavender and it made Jace ache. He whispered so that only Simon could hear him, “She’s right, you look almost as good as I do in my clothes”. Jace actually thought Simon looked better in them, but wasn’t about to admit it.

“These are your clothes?” Simon asked him.

“Of course, I have excellent taste”, Jace slowed his pace just enough so that he was a little behind Simon. He let his gaze slowly wander over Simon noticing the curl in his hair, the slight muscle definition in his shoulders, and down his back to the way the tight leather hugged his ass. Jace took it all in smiling in admiration of the beautiful boy. Then he shook it off and sped up slipping back into line next to Simon. They had a job to do and he couldn’t let his lust filled haze distract him.

They took the subway trying to blend in with the people of the city. They didn’t use their glamour since Simon was with them. Alec spoke up as quietly as possible looking directly at Jace, “So Simon filled us in while you were unconscious. Valentine is alive and has a son?”

Jace nodded, “Yea, a son who knew my real name and said it was his. I still don’t understand that part. What do I have to do with any of this?”

“That’s the part we couldn’t figure out either”, Isabelle interjected.

“The way he said it was his name almost inferred that Jonathan Christopher isn’t my name, but I know it is. It’s always been my name”

“Jonathan is a pretty common name for shadowhunters, Jace. I’m sure it’s just a coincidence”, Alec tried to reassure him.

Jace nodded, “Maybe, but that still doesn’t explain how he knew who I was when I walked in that room.”

“This is our stop”, Simon let them know as the doors were opening. They rose up from the subway into a modern Brooklyn neighborhood. They walked along following Isabelle who had the sensor. It was hot and muggy out, Jace’s leather pants sticking to his legs. He kept a watchful eye on Simon keeping close to him in the dark. There weren’t many streetlights and not a star in the sky as they walked down the narrow street. 

“Pretty sure this is the right place”, Alec stated as he nodded his head toward the flashy motorcycles.

“Vampire bikes”, he explained to Simon, “They run on the energy of demons”

Alec piped in, “Some of them fly”

Jace walked around them touching one of them the way you would touch a lover, “They are pretty”, he wondered what it would be like to fly over the city on one of them. 

He heard Isabelle’s voice, but only barely paying attention to her as he poured some holy water into the gas tanks, “Hurry up”, she said walking up to a large metal door and pressing a buzzer. It took a few buzzes, but then there was a tall man opening the door, “Magnus? Magnus Bane?”

“That’s me”, the thin Asian man told them. He wore make up and tight jeans, “I don’t recall inviting any Nephilim to my party”

Isabelle flirted with him, “You didn’t, but I heard your parties are legendary. These are my friends”, she told him.

Jace noticed the way Magnus looked away from Isabelle and directly at Alec, his eyes moving over him completely, “Okay, you can come in”.

They followed him up the stairs and it was Simon who spoke first, “Look, Mr. Bane, we need to talk to you”

For the first time Magnus looked at Simon, “You’re not a shadowhunter, what are you doing with these three?”

“They’re helping me find my friend”, Simon exclaimed, “And I tracked her here to this address. Her name is Clary Fray”

Magnus opened the door to the party, “Clary is here. She came earlier with her brother”

Venomous rage shot up in Jace, “Jonathan is here? Where?” Magnus pointed across the room toward the dance floor. Jace glanced at Alec, “Watch over Simon for me”, and he tore through the crowd heading straight for the white blonde hair he could just make out in the far corner of the room. Part of him knew it was unwise to engage the boy again after what happened the last time, but he couldn’t stop the murderous rage flowing through him. Once he got to the corner though all trace of Jonathan was gone. He spun around gazing over the room trying to figure out how he lost him so quickly. Jace looked everywhere, but was unable to find him. He had disappeared without a trace. He looked high and low searching finding himself desperate and then he saw Clary. She was sitting in a big armchair with her face in a book. Jace walked over sitting on one of the armrests, “Come here often?”

Clary glanced up in annoyance at first, but then as she recognized Jace fear overtook her face, “Murderer”

The last time he had seen Clary was at the Pandemonium Club and she had seen him kill that demon, “You don’t know what you saw, little girl, but Simon is worried sick about you now come with me”

“I’m not going anywhere with you”, she screamed at him over the music of the faerie band playing on stage, “And if you lay one hand on Simon you’ll regret it”

Jace thought of all the ways he’d love to lay his hands on Simon, but it wasn’t the way Clary was talking about, “I would never hurt Simon. I’m helping him find you. Just follow me and talk to him yourself”

Clary glanced around the room, “He’s here? Simon’s here?” Jace nodded, “I told him to stay out of this”

“He apparently doesn’t listen very well then”, Jace grabbed her hand and pulled her up from the chair and literally started to pull her across the room, “Now come on”

“No, no”, she screamed wrenching her arm free of Jace’s grasp. “Just tell Simon to go home. This doesn’t concern him. I’m fine”

Before Jace could argue with her Isabelle and Alec rushed up to them, “Jace, it’s Simon, something’s happened. Clary and Jace both looked at them waiting for more of an explanation, “He’s a rat”, Isabelle told them.

Clary defended her friend, “He is not, he’s the best person I know”

Isabelle just rolled her eyes at the red haired girl, “No, I mean he’s literally a rat, you know whiskers, furry, long tail”

Jace turned on Alec grabbing him by the collar of his leather jacket, “I told you to watch him”, there was fire burning in Jace’s golden eyes.

“I was, but then I was trying to find out what Magnus knows and Isabelle said she’d keep an eye on him”, Alec stammered out.

Isabelle continued the story, “And I was, but then this guy was flirting with me. Simon was right there with us. The blonde guy got us both drinks and then I watched Simon turn to a rat right in front of me”

“So where is he now”, Jace was fuming.

“The guy that was with us grabbed him and ran off”

Jace screamed getting right in Isabelle’s face, “And you didn’t go after him?”

Alec shoved Jace away from his sister, “She tried, we both did, but we lost him. There are too many people in here. We’re sorry.” Alec looked ashamed and Isabelle was holding back tears at letting Jace down.

Jace looked around them then realizing it was just the three of them, “Where the fuck did Clary go?” They all looked around and knew she was gone now too, lost in the crowd. “How did we lose both of them?”


	10. Chapter 10

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Hotel Dumont

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry I'm late today. I had a long exhausting day at work, but home now so that's good. I hope you all enjoy the update

Chapter 10

Jace looked around seemingly lost in a crowd of faces. Faces of Downworlders and Shadowhunters, but the only face he longed for in that moment was Simons. He longed to look upon a mortal face, his beautiful mundane boy. He lunged through the crowd heading for Magnus with Alec and Isabelle following close on his heels. Magnus was in the middle of calling off the party and sending everyone home when Jace confronted him. “I need your help”

Magnus glanced down at him, “Ah, you’re back. Couldn’t find Clary or her brother?”

“I don’t care about them right now. I’m looking for Simon, he was turned into a rat”, Jace hoped Magnus would have helpful information.

“The mundane boy you had with you. That’s a shame, but it was just one of the drinks, it’ll wear off”

Jace continued, “I think he’s in trouble, someone gave him the drink on purpose and took off with him. He was blonde, one of your partygoers”

Magnus seemed to remember something, “I did see Clary’s brother with a rat just a moment ago, he gave it to one of the vampires”

“He did what”, Jace’s voice boomed over the room, “Why would he do that?”

“Well based on your reaction”, Magnus observed, “I think he wanted you going after a rat instead of going after him”

Jace knew Magnus was right. Simon was a diversion. “Do you know where Clary and Jonathan are staying”, he asked Magnus.

“No”

“Do you know where the vampire lair is?”

“Maybe, but I wouldn’t tell you”

Jace lost it. He could feel the slight hold he still had on reality spiraling out of his control. Alec stepped in knowing Jace wasn’t capable of keeping his cool any longer, “Would you tell me?” Alec looked up at Magnus.

“Yes, blue eyes, I’ll tell you, on one condition”

“Name it”, Alec would have done anything to help Jace especially since Alec felt partly responsible for trusting Isabelle with Simon.

“A date”, Magnus looked directly at Alec

“Done”

Magnus smiled, “You gave in easier than I thought little shadowhunter. The vampires are at the old Hotel Dumont.”

Alec spun around toward Jace, “Okay, let’s go”

“No, you two have done enough. Go home. I’ll find Simon on my own.” Jace looked at Magnus, “Is there a holy place nearby?”

“Yes, a Catholic Church on Diamond”

Without a word Jace was gone running as if his own life depended on it. He knew he’d have to stop first for weapons at the church, but then he would find the hotel and kill any vampire that got in his way of saving Simon. The hotel was harder to find that he hoped, but after searching for what felt like hours he finally saw the sign hanging from the side of the building. Someone had drawn an R over the N. Normally he would have laughed at the joke, but not tonight. Tonight he couldn’t think about Simon being in a hotel of death. 

He moved around the building looking for a way in, but all the stairs had been removed. Jace was past frustrated when he found a back alley where the service entrance would have been when the hotel was up and running. Bones and trash littered the entire back area, but he ignored the filth and smell searching for a way in. There was a dumpster that he thought could be blocking doors on the ground, but he wasn’t sure he could tip it or move it on his own. Just as he was attempting to push it he heard a voice behind him, “What are you doing?”

Jace turned seeing a young man at the entrance of the alley. “Come help me move this thing”

“That’s not a good idea, this place is haunted, you should leave while you can”, the boy warned.

“I don’t care if it’s a good idea or not, I’m going in this hotel. My friend is inside”, Jace was trying to push the dumpster alone.

“If you go in, you may not come out. I’ve seen it happen, my own brother was lost to this place. It’s dangerous”

“I’m not scared of a few vampires. I’ve killed them before and I’ll kill them again. Now help me”, Jace paused trying to soothe his tone, “Please”

The boy nodded, “I’m Raphael and you are an idiot, but I’ll help you”

Jace knew the boy was a vampire, he knew he would turn on him the moment they were inside, but right now he only needed to get inside to save Simon. They moved the dumpster and the boy showed him the way in dropping down into a grate and Raphael followed him down. Jace was on guard waiting for the attack that didn’t come. Raphael just followed him through the hotel looking for a set of stairs that were still intact. Once they reached the lobby Raphael spoke again, “So you’re sure your friend is here?”

“Yea, well he’s currently in the form of a rat, but I know he’s here. I have to find him”, Jace looked around, “We should go back to the stairs, I don’t think we’re high enough in the hotel. The vampires will be closer to the top floor”

“I think this place will do fine”, Raphael said.

Jace reacted knowing it was time and encircled his lean strong hand around Raphael’s throat, “Just give me the rat and I won’t kill you”

Suddenly vampires emerged from the shadows with their fangs extended; Jace reacted, fast as lightning, seraph blade in hand defending his self from the oncoming slaughter. Looking around he knew he was outnumbered. He readied his blade preparing to take as many of them down as he could. Outstretched arms and bared fangs were the last thing Jace remembered before his world went black.


	11. Chapter 11

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I think you all might like this update, just sayin

Chapter 11

Jace’s head was throbbing as he sat up from the cold dusty ground. He glanced around checking out his surroundings finding himself trapped in a metal cell without his weapons. He cursed into the dark, but then he saw the small brown figure a few feet from him, “Simon”, his heart leaped from his chest, “Is that you?”

A tiny squeak came from the rodent and when Jace placed his hand palm down on the ground Simon ran into it. He placed Simon on his lap and stroked his fur glad to have found him, but not knowing how they would get out of the mess they were currently in. 

“I thought I could get us out of here. I should have brought Alec and Isabelle with me and maybe we’d be getting back to the Institute right now instead of locked up.” Simon balled up on Jace’s lap listening to him, “I was just so angry at them for not keeping a better eye on you”, he paused, “Or maybe I was angry at myself for running after Jonathan instead of keeping you safe. I had one job and I failed you. I’m so sorry Simon”. Jace rubbed his arms from the cold setting into his bones. The vampires had taken his jacket along with his blades and holy water. “I was mad at Clary too. She said you should stay away and butt out of her business. I mean you’re just trying to help her and then we learn you’re a rat and she just disappears? What kind of friend is that?” Simon just looked up at Jace with his big rat eyes unable to answer any of his questions. In the darkness without hope for escape they gave in to their tired bodies and drifted off to sleep.

The room was still dark when Jace woke up unable to tell what time it was. He glanced down to find Simon back in his human form fast asleep with his head resting in Jace’s lap. His clothes were filthy and his glasses askew on his face so Jace slipped them off and lay them to the side. He looked down at Simon’s face; he looked so young and vulnerable as he slept. Jace ran his fingers through Simon’s hair pretending for just a moment that he was his. Simon moved into Jace’s touch for a moment and then sat up and backed away after he woke up, “Sorry”

Jace was beaming, “What are you sorry for? You’re human again”

Simon looked around, “You came for me. I can’t believe you did that”.

“It’s what we do”, Jace tried to shrug it off.

“You risked your life and now you’re just as trapped as me. You could have just left me to die, but you endangered yourself for me”, Simon leaned in closing in on Jace and then his lips were on him.

More than anything Jace wanted to give into the kiss, but he shoved Simon away, “What are you doing?”

Simon looked taken aback, “I was trying to kiss you. I thought you liked me”

“I do, but you’re straight”, Jace just stared in confusion, “I don’t need you to kiss me out of pity or some obligation you think you have for me coming to your aid.”

Annoyance flooded Simon’s face, “Is that what you think that was? Jace I didn’t kiss you out of some duty to you.”

“Then why did you?”

Simon faltered searching for words that he wasn’t sure could explain what he felt, “I mean maybe it’s partly that you came here for me. I’ve never had anyone do something like that for me. It means everything to me that you’re here now”

“I don’t deserve any recognition for this atrocity. We’re being held captive by vampires. We’ll probably be dead before the day is over”, Jace was angry with himself.

“Well since we’re going to die anyway”, Simon reached up for Jace’s face letting his thumb trace the hard line of his jaw that softened at the touch. They leaned in together, just a hair’s breadth between their lips. Jace could feel the heat coming off of Simon; feel the air of every exhale on his skin. Simon’s dark eyes burned into golden ones when Jace closed the distance between them. Their lips crashed together like waves finally reaching the shore. Jace was lost in the kiss pushing every thought of Simon not really wanting this from his mind and let his long fingers entwine into Simon’s dark curls holding him close. He knew he could have died happy right then.

“Maybe we should come back later”, a voice broke through the moment and split them apart as quickly as they had come together. Isabelle and Alec stood on the other side of the cell. “We thought you might actually need help, but you two seem to be doing just fine”, Isabelle just stared in disbelief, but it was Alec’s stormy blue eyes that cut into Jace like a knife.

“Well as fine as one can be while being held against their will”, Jace stood dragging Simon along with him, “Now get us out of here before the vampires come back”

Alec still hadn’t said a word; his eyes shot daggers at both of them as he found Jace’s things and picked them up. Isabelle used her stele to unlock the cage door, and said, “Don’t worry about the vampires, the werewolves are taking care of them”

Jace pushed Simon behind him in a protective manner, “The werewolves”, Jace grabbed his blades from Alec, “What are werewolves doing here? We’re going to be caught between their war up there”

“The werewolves are with us. Luke is the pack leader, he’s helping because Simon is here”, Alec stated his tone full of jealousy as he said Simon’s name.

Simon moved between Alec and Jace, “Oh yea, didn’t I tell you Luke is a werewolf?” He asked Jace trying to lead him from the room.

“No, you said he was a shadowhunter”, Jace tossed on his jacket and belted his weapons.

“He was, but now he’s a werewolf”

Jace grabbed for Simon’s arm, “You can tell me the story another time, right now we are getting you out of here”. Jace kept a hand and an eye on Simon as they followed the Lightwoods out of the hotel and into the light of day. Jace could finally breathe once he saw Simon safe and sound. He couldn’t shake the fear that what they had shared in the cell would stay hidden in the basement of the Hotel Dumont forever.


	12. Chapter 12

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Things get more complicated

Chapter 12

Back at the Institute Jace was met with the wrath of Hodge. He knew everything his tutor would say to him, and he knew Hodge was right. Jace was acutely aware of how badly he had screwed up. He had almost gotten Simon killed and that was a wakeup call enough for him. He listened to Hodge berate and threaten him nodding his head when he made a good point and there were many. Simon was still outside talking to Luke telling him all about how he heard the vampires talking about Valentine and the mortal cup. Jace knew Hodge would interrogate Simon, Isabelle, and Alec on the prior evening’s events and after his thorough lecturing Jace went to take a shower. He was completely disheveled after spending the night on the dusty floor. 

Jace wanted to see Simon more than anything, but Simon was in the library with Hodge for most of the morning. He didn’t want to interrupt especially with how angry Hodge was with him so he made his way to the music room. The piano was his outlet to let his emotions out and he played until everything he felt was but a melody leaving his fingertips. The afternoon passed and he still hadn’t seen Simon. Jace wanted to discuss what had happened between them, but Simon was hiding away in his room. Dinner time came and went and he still hadn’t come out to talk or eat or anything. It got late and everyone had gone to their rooms; Jace lay between his cold sheets unable to sleep as he thought about the boy across the hall. He was done waiting; he threw on some jeans and a t-shirt and barged through Simon’s door.

Simon sat up as Jace came in, “What the hell?”

It was obvious that Simon was upset; tracks stained his face where tears had fallen. “Are you okay”, Jace sounded concerned as he sat next to Simon on his bed.

“Yes”, Simon shook his head, “No, I don’t know”

“It’s okay not to be. You’ve been through a lot”

“You’ve been through it all too and you’re not the least bit fazed”, Simon ran his hand through his hair absentmindedly.

“I’m used to this world, but you’re not. Talk to me, what’s got you so upset”, Jace wanted to touch him, to reassure him, but he knew now wasn’t the time for that.

“Everything, I was a rat, I was taken by vampires, a few days ago I was attacked by a demon. It’s been one thing after another” he paused, “but mainly it’s Clary”

It was a knife right into Jace’s soul, “You love her”, it was a statement, not a question.

“Yes”, Simon seemed to see the look on Jace’s face change, “But not like you think. She’s my best friend. We’ve been through everything together since we were little kids. If I could count on anyone it was always her. Now everything has changed, she’s telling me to leave her alone and I can’t do that. Last night I was in that place and if you’d asked me who would come for me in my time of need I would always have said Clary. I thought she would try and save me, but it wasn’t her that did that. It was you”, Simon touched Jace’s hand with his own. “Everything is changing so fast and I just feel lost right now”.

Jace didn’t know what to say, “I know she’s your friend, but from what I see you deserve better.”

Simon smiled, “Someone better, like who? Someone like you?”

Jace pulled his hand away. “Why did you kiss me this morning?”

“I wanted to”, Simon blushed.

“So you like guys?” Jace needed the answer to his question.

“No, I mean I don’t think so”, Simon thought about what to say next, “It’s not men, I don’t want any other man, it’s just you Jace”

Jace smiled, “Well I am stunningly attractive”

Simon shook his head, “Don’t do that. Don’t joke like this isn’t important. I’m trying to be straight with you”

“Actually that’s the last thing you’re trying to be with me”

“Damn it, Ja”, He didn’t get to finish what he was going to say as Jace grabbed him and kissed him. It was hungry and intense and raw and full of so much passion. Their lips were smashing together in a tangle of tongues and teeth, and then Simon was crawling onto Jace’s lap straddling him. Jace took control slowing the kiss down wanting to make the moment last. Simon’s hands were coiled in Jace’s blonde locks and Jace’s hands moved down to Simon’s hips holding him there. His nails dug into the pale flesh of his back and Simon groaned out. Jace was lost in how soft Simon’s lips were, how he tasted, how he smelled. He wanted to touch every last inch of him. Simon reached for the hem of Jace’s shirt letting his hands linger on the hard muscles of his abdomen. He removed the shirt in one fluid motion, “I want to see you”, Simon let his fingers trace over the marks on Jace’s skin. 

Jace returned the favor by taking off Simon’s white tank top. His eyes glazing over as he really looked at him, “You’re beautiful”. Their mouths came together again. Jace nibbling on Simon’s bottom lip sucking it into his mouth. 

He didn’t hear the door open, “Simon?” Reality crashed around them as Simon tried to untangle himself from Jace and ended up losing his balance and colliding with the floor hard. Jace’s heart was hammering in his chest as Simon looked up with a bloodied nose.

“Clary, is that you”, he sat up trying to see without his glasses.

“Oh my god, are you okay?” Clary rushed to his side kneeling next to him on the floor throwing her arms around him.

Jace stood up to get a towel for the blood when he saw Alec standing in the doorway with his jaw gritted and his eyes alight with fire. He glanced down at the two friends caught up in an embrace and he knew exactly how Alec felt.


	13. Chapter 13

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A meeting in the greenhouse

Chapter 13

It only took one moment of seeing Simon in someone else’s arms to know he didn’t want to see anymore. Jace grabbed his shirt throwing it on quickly and said, “There’s towels and water over on the dresser. You two should talk”, he glanced away from them not wanting to see how awkward Simon looked. Jace was sure he regretted the kiss. He strode out of the room shoving past Alec who still stood in the doorway dumbstruck by the view in front of him.

Jace walked the corridors unsure where he was going; he just needed to be far from Simon and Clary. His father’s words repeating in his head, “To love is to destroy”, Jace had known better, but he had let himself start to fall. It had been a grievous mistake on his part. Without realizing it he found himself in the greenhouse, the night sky bright above him. The fragrance of flowers was overpowering, the room eerily quiet, and he was thankful to be alone. He figured no one would both him up here, but he had thought wrong. Jace heard his footsteps before he saw him, but he knew who it was, “Alec, go away”

“I can’t. I need to talk to you”, Alec stepped out of the shadows.

“Can’t it wait? I don’t exactly want to talk right now”

“No, I have to ask you something, something about what I just saw”

Jace tried to change the subject, “How the hell did Clary get here anyway?” Her name was like poison on his lips.

“She showed up at the door demanding sanctuary as a shadowhunter. I had to let her in”, Alec stated, “But that wasn’t what I wanted to discuss. I”, the words wouldn’t come out, “I, um, wanted to know”

“You wanted to know if I was gay like you.” Jace said matter of fact and Alec looked taken aback. 

“What?”

“I’m not blind Alec, I see the way you moon over me, and you accepted that date with the warlock”

Alec butted in, “I took the date for the information. I did it for you”

“Of course you did and it doesn’t matter to me either way. I like boys or girls and they like me”, Jace smirked at Alec, “I was just trying Simon on, I was curious what it would be like to kiss a mundane and now I know”

Alec stepped forward, “I saw the two of you this morning and now tonight, it was more than that and you know it. You have feelings for him. I can see it all over your face”

“Why don’t you ask what you really want to know? You want to know why I wasn’t kissing you, am I right? If that’s what you want than let’s do it. Come on Alec kiss me”, Jace moved into Alec’s personal space.

“You know I mistakenly thought you needed to talk to someone. As your parabatai, I thought I would try and help, but I forgot for just one second that you’re an asshole. Fuck you, Jace”

Jace’s lips curled up seductively, “You wish”, the words were barely out before Alec’s hand slammed into Jace’s cheek slapping him as hard as he could. His face still burning Jace grabbed Alec by the collar of his shirt and pulled him in kissing him hard ramming his tongue down the black haired boy’s throat needing desperately to get lost in someone. He needed to get his mind off of Simon and what he might be doing downstairs with Clary. 

Alec’s hands moved to Jace’s chest, lingering for just a moment kissing him back, but then the moment was gone and Alec shoved him away, “What the hell, Jace?”

“Isn’t that what you wanted? Did you get me out of your system now?”

“I don’t know what I ever saw in you, you don’t care about anybody but yourself”, Alec stormed out of the greenhouse leaving Jace alone with only the flowers that seemed to be silently mocking him. He left the quiet of the greenhouse and slowly moved through the Institute heading back to his room. Sleep eluded him as he attempted to lie between the cold wrinkled sheets. His mind was across the hall wondering what Simon was doing. Jace slid from the bed sitting on the edge rubbing his face in his hands and then got up to pace around the room wanting to shake the energy coursing through him. 

The knock on his door startled him, “I’m asleep, go away”.

His door creaked slowly open, “Liar, you don’t talk in your sleep”, Simon entered cautiously.

“How would you know?” Jace taunted him.

“Well I did spend two nights at your bedside, but that’s not what I came here to talk about”, Simon moved toward him. 

Jace knew he was here to break if off, to tell him it had all been a lapse in judgment. He couldn’t bear to hear those words from those beautiful lips, “I get it, you have your precious Clary now. It’s what you wanted now the two of you can go back to your lives and I can get back to mine.”

“That’s what you want?” Simon looked tired.

“I have to get back to shadowhunter business and it’s time for you to leave and you can take Clary with you. The two of you don’t belong here”

“But Clary doesn’t have anywhere to go. You can’t just kick her out”

“Frankly I don’t care. I just want her gone. Bye Simon”, Jace was abrupt with Simon he knew he had to be. He wouldn’t be the one heartbroken so he ended things before Simon had the chance. Simon slammed the door behind him and Jace calmly went back to his bed. He lay there all night staring at the ceiling unable to sleep as his every waking thought was about his beautiful boy that he would never have.


	14. Chapter 14

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A conversation over breakfast

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hoping everyone is enjoying this. I've been enjoying writing it, but I'm almost caught up with myself. I'll try and keep the one update a day going, but I may fall behind and have to do every other day if my schedule at work gets busy. I'll keep you all informed. Thanks for reading.

Chapter 14

The morning light spilled through the window blinding Jace as he opened his eyes to the sun. He’d finally fell into a fitful sleep at some point in the dawn. With only a few hours of rest he got up from his bed and tossed on jeans and a black tank top before running his fingers through his long blonde hair. Jace was exhausted but his stomach was demanding to be fed so he made his way down to the kitchen. There he found everyone already seated around the table eating breakfast. He was shocked to see Simon and Clary among them.

“I see sleeping beauty finally graces us with his presence”, Isabelle teased him as he grabbed a piece of bacon and leaned against the counter not wanting to sit in the only empty seat that was beside Clary. 

“It’s hard being this pretty, it’s a burden really”, Jace bantered back with her.

Alec spoke up between bites of his eggs, “Actually Jace you look like death this morning. Didn’t you get any sleep?” Jace threw a bagel hitting Alec upside the head, “I’m serious you could fly to China with the bags under your eyes”

“If you’re just going to ridicule me I can go back to my room”

Alec looked at his plate trying to ignore him and then looked at Clary, “So you were saying you want us to help you get your mom from Valentine. Why should we help you?”

“Because my mom is for all purposes in a coma and Valentine is keeping her hostage”

Jace piped in, “Oh so you’re not all cozy with your dear old dad anymore?”

“No”, her eyes blazed at Jace, “I realized what kind of person he is. I ran away last night and I mistakenly thought that you all might help me since we’re all shadowhunters and Simon said you were the good ones, but I think you are all just hateful assholes”

Isabelle tried to ease the situation, “So what exactly made you change your mind?”

“At first they acted like they were trying to help. My mom was unconscious and I’m still not sure how that happened or why. I’m pretty sure she took something to make herself that way. I just don’t understand why. They told me they were my family, my father and my brother. I didn’t believe them at first, but Valentine is very persuasive. I couldn’t help but believe him. He acted like he loved me and had been kept away from me, his only daughter, this whole time. I fell for the act, but then it was little things. It was things they said, Jonathan turning Simon into a rat and forcing me to leave the party with him when I wanted to help my friend. Mostly it was that Valentine lied about the mortal cup helping my mother”

“The mortal cup”, Alec exclaimed, “Valentine has the mortal cup?”

“Not at first, he helped me go into some of my memories. Memories that had been blocked by Magnus Bane, that’s why we were at the party, but he couldn’t remove the block. So Valentine helped me remember, he said the cup would help my mom, and I believed him. He helped me summon up old memories and I told him it was hidden in tarot cards at Madam Dorothea’s. We went and we reclaimed the card, but then he killed her. He slaughtered Dorothea right in front of me. I went back with him and Jonathan just to get my mom back with that damn cup, but I didn’t know how to get the cup out of the card. He was angry at me and he hit me. I was afraid and had no idea what to do so in the middle of the night I ran away. I ran here thinking that you might help me. Please.”

“It’s imperative we get the cup, but Clary that cup won’t save your mother. He’s going to use the cup to try and make more shadowhunters. That is its purpose.” Isabelle stood up from the table as if she were ready to go to battle.

Clary just sat there looking as if her whole life were falling apart around her, “I should have known he was lying about that”, she paused before opening her jacket, “I guess it’s a good thing I took this with me when I left”, she pulled out a tarot card and lay it on the table between the biscuits and the jelly. The ace of cups card was there with them, the mortal cup was safe for now. “I just wish I knew how to get it out of that card, maybe we could barter it for my mom”

“No”, Jace’s voice was loud even in the large kitchen, “Valentine cannot get his hands on that. We must notify the clave at once”

Clary snapped it up from the table and placed it back in her jacket, “I don’t care what you want Jace. I took it, it’s my mother. I’ll make the decision”

“No, you won’t. This is shadowhunter business little girl”, Jace moved toward her in anger.

Clary stood as if ready to take him on, “I’m not a little girl and I am a shadowhunter so that makes it my business and you’re a murderous manipulative narcissistic asshole.”

“If the shoe fits”, Jace was hovering over her tiny frame.

“You think you’re so charming, but you’re just a coward. Admit it, that’s why you won’t help me; you’re just a scared little boy with daddy issues”

Anger flared in Jace like never before as he reached out with one hand grabbing Clary by the throat. He was ready to throttle the life out of her when Simon got in between them and Alec pulled Jace off of her, “Leave her alone, Jace”, Simon warned him pushing him away from her with his hand on his chest.

Jace shrugged Alec off of his back, “Do whatever the fuck you want. I really don’t care”, he yelled at them as he stormed up to his room.

He slammed his bedroom door and screamed in a fit of rage pacing his room trying to quell the hatred burning inside of him. Once he had calmed he went to his bed covering himself in the sheets and shut the world out for a little while. He needed sleep and it welcomed him like an old friend. Hours later he awoke as the sun was starting to set, he got out of bed still in his clothes that were now wrinkled. Part of him just wanted to stay in his room for the rest of the night, but he knew he needed to see what was going on in the Institute. 

Alec was coming down the hall dressed up in a black suit, “Where are you off to dressed like that?” Jace asked him as he breezed by him.

“I have a date with the warlock, remember?”

“Oh yea, say hi to Magnus for me”, Jace winked at him.

Alec paused and turned around, “Jace, can we just forget the conversation in the greenhouse? I don’t want that between us. You are my parabatai and I need to know that we are okay”

Jace nodded, “Yea, we’re good”

“You promise?”

A smile played over his lips, “I promise, now go have fun with your warlock. Don’t do anything I’d do”, Alec just laughed as he walked away.

The door next to him opened and Simon stood there looking as though he had just woke up as well, “We need to talk”, Jace felt his stomach drop at Simon’s words.


	15. Chapter 15

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Things evolve

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I think you are all going to really like this chapter. Enjoy!!

Chapter 15

Jace wasn’t sure he wanted to hear whatever it was that Simon wanted to talk about, “No, there’s no need to talk. You and Clary can go do whatever you’re going to do and I’m just going to stay out of it.” Jace turned away then trying to go back to his room to hide.

“Don’t walk away from me”, Simon lay his hand on Jace’s shoulder forcing him to turn around.

“What do you care what I do?”

Simon placed his hand on Jace’s cheek, “Because I care”, he looked at their feet for just a moment and then with conviction looked up into Jace’s eyes, “I care about you”

Jace grabbed the doorknob to his room and Simon’s free hand at the same time and pulled him into his bedroom and away from any prying eyes that could be lurking in the Institute. Neither of them said a word for a few minutes; Simon glanced around the fairly empty room while Jace went to look out the window watching the rain sleet across the city skyline, and then in almost a whisper, “You care about me?”

“Yes”, Simon walked over so that he stood right behind Jace both of them looking out the window, “I have no idea why I care since you keep running hot and cold with me, but I do. I cared even before you saved me in that hotel.” He placed his hand on Jace’s hip hooking a thumb through the loop of his jeans. “I noticed you when you walked in the coffee house that night.”

Jace laughed, “I noticed you first. I saw you in the club and I couldn’t take my eyes off of you”

“Now be fair, Jace, I couldn’t have seen you that night even if I’d wanted to. I’m a mundane remember?”

Jace turned to face Simon, “Yes, I remember everything about you”, he moved in for a kiss.

Simon placed a hand on his chest halting him, “So what the fuck was that last night?”

Jace flushed, “The kissing?”

“No”, Simon shook his head, “You storming from the room when Clary arrived and then later pushing me away. You hurt me last night, Jace. The push and pull shit has to stop”

“I was jealous”, Jace stepped away ashamed of his own words, “I hated seeing you with her, and I know how you feel about her. I figured since she was back that whatever was going on between us was over. I guess I was trying to hurt you before you could hurt me”

Simon stepped in behind Jace again wrapping his arms around the blonde boy’s chest, “Don’t you understand I wasn’t going to hurt you. I want to be with you, you stupid shadowhunter”

“I want that too, but I don’t know how to do this”, Jace’s voice shook.

“I’ve never been with a guy either, we’ll figure it out”

“No, not that, I’ve been with men, I don’t know how to do a relationship. I’ve never wanted to do that before and with you I feel so possessive. It can’t be healthy”

Simon pushed a strand of hair from Jace’s face, “Then we can figure that out too”

Jace smiled, “It’s that simple, huh? We just work it all out as we go along?” Simon nodded smiling back at him. “It sounds too easy”

“Maybe it is”, Simon told him.

“I like the sound of that”, Jace leaned down and kissed Simon, and he just barely let their lips touch before pulling back. “I want everything. I want to take you to bed right now, but I need to know how fast or how slow you want me to take this”

“For fucks sake this isn’t battle strategy, you don’t have to overthink everything”, and then it was Simon who was on his tip toes grabbing Jace around the neck and pulling him close. Their lips coming together, their hands everywhere as Simon pushed Jace into the wall. A slight moan escaped Simon as Jace’s tongue slid into his mouth entangling with his. There was need in every touch, desire radiating from both of them as Jace pulled Simon’s shirt from his body and then flipped them. Now it was Simon who was spun hard into the wall and Jace’s mouth moved across Simon’s chest taking extra care of his nipples and the tender area right above the button of his jeans. 

Simon’s hands were in Jace’s hair as he mumbled incoherently lost in the way Jace’s tongue moved over his skin. Jace stood back up his eyes black with lust as he kissed Simon again letting his tongue roll over the roof of his mouth teasing him before pulling in Simon’s bottom lip and biting it just a little. The mundane tried to move them over to the bed, but Jace stopped them. “No, I want you right here, right now, on this wall, begging for me”, Jace’s voice was forceful holding Simon in place with one hand while letting his other hand snake into Simon’s pants rubbing him on top of his boxers loving how turned on he was. 

“Please”, it was the only word that could escape Simon’s lips. 

“That’s a good start, but I’ll need more begging, beautiful”, Jace teased him and Simon moaned as the blonde dropped to his knees in front of him unhooking the button on his jeans so slowly it was causing him pain, and then Jace’s teeth were on the zipper pulling it down. 

“Oh god, Jace”

“What”, Jace asked as he pulled the jeans and boxers down to Simon’s ankles causing his erection to bounce up onto his stomach and the little trail of soft brown curls that worked up to his belly button.

“Please”, Simon was begging, needing more.

“Please what?” Jace tormented him blowing his hot breath over his shaft in anticipation.

“Fuck, you know what”

“I want you to say it, Simon”, Jace kissed his inner thigh playfully.

“We’re not playing Simon says”

“So, Simon doesn’t say suck my cock?” Jace taunted him letting just the tip of his tongue move over the head slightly.

“Oh god, Jace, yes, suck me, blow me, I want to see your mouth on me, please baby”

It was the baby that did it. Jace enveloped Simon all the way to the base swallowing him down and if there had been more he’d have taken that too. Not that Simon was small, he wasn’t, he was long and perfect and Jace knew he would never tire of this. He moved up and down taking him all over and over again as Simon groaned, his toes curling in intense pleasure of being this deep in Jace’s throat. He looked up at Simon his head thrown back against the wall, his mouth parted open breathing heavy. Jace wrapped his hand around the base of Simon’s shaft working him in rhythm with his mouth until he was lost in complete ecstasy spilling inside of Jace’s mouth and he drank him in. 

Simon was spent sliding down the wall and into Jace’s arms; he kissed him tasting himself on Jace’s lips. They smiled into the kiss a tangle of limbs on the cold wood floor. Simon with his pants around his ankles and Jace still completely clothed, “How am I the only one naked?” Simon said as he glanced at their bodies.

“Shall I remedy that problem?” Jace questioned as he pulled of his tank top.

Simon climbed on top of him reaching for his jeans, “No, you should let me do it”

“As you wish, beautiful”

Simon blushed as he slowly and nervously undid Jace’s tight jeans and pulled them off. Then it was Jace’s turn to blush as the brunette’s eyes glazed over and languidly moved over his body, “No, you’re the one that’s beautiful”, he moved over him, their bodies flesh to flesh as Simon came down for a soft kiss, their arms going around each other rolling around on the hard floor. They lay there kissing, giggling, and exploring each other’s bodies before moving up to the soft bed. It didn’t go any further that evening. Jace wanted to move slowly; he knew this was all very new to Simon and he didn’t want to scare him with too much too soon. The morning sun was just rising over the city, Simon was softly snoring on Jace’s chest, and Jace watched his beautiful boy sleeping soundly both unaware of the previous evening events and the world outside that was about to come crashing into the bedroom.


	16. Chapter 16

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The morning after

Chapter 16 

Jace couldn’t stop looking at his beautiful boy. Simon was next to him sound asleep, his face younger looking without his glasses. His dark hair messy and full of curls, Jace couldn’t help but run his fingers through it and lay a soft kiss to his forehead. He had just made the decision to stay in bed like this for the rest of the day when his door barged open and Alec came storming in, “Where the hell is everyone?”

Jace set up letting the sheet fall from his chest and puddle in his lap, “We’re right here, it’s a little early for breaking down doors isn’t it?”

“No”, Alec had a look of panic on his face and now Jace could feel the same panic radiating to him through his parabatai. “I can’t find anyone. Isabelle isn’t in her room and I’m pretty sure she didn’t sleep there last night. Hodge is missing and the library is ransacked”

Simon was awake now too and sat up putting on his glasses, “What about Clary?” Alec could only glare from Simon to Jace as he had just then seen the other boy in Jace’s bed. His heart raced in his chest and if Isabelle hadn’t been missing he would have bolted from the room unable to see Jace in bed with another man. Jace pulled back the sheets and stood up from the bed stark naked grabbed his leather pants and slid them on as both boys watched. Simon broke his gaze from the blonde and asked the question again, “Alec, what about Clary?”

He finally answered after licking his lips “I don’t know. I wasn’t looking for her”

“Well don’t you think we should?” Simon wrapped the sheet around his self modestly and crawled from the bed picking up his clothes from around the room. 

Jace was already dressed in his gear, “Alec let’s go back to the library and look for any clues as to where they may be. Simon you should look for Clary or any sign of the others. He crossed the room to Simon who was still just standing there in only a sheet. Jace bent down softly kissing Simon good morning, “It’ll be okay, we’ll find them”, but he wasn’t sure if he was reassuring Simon or himself.

The walk through the Institute was silent with Alec walking just behind Jace his eyes burning into the back of his skull. Jace could hear the anger in every footstep, finally he turned just before entering the library, “What?”

“What?” Alec tried to play it off wanting to find his sister and not fight with Jace.

“I can feel the rage coming off of you in waves. What the fuck are you so pissed about?” Jace blocked his path into the library.

“My sister is missing. Our mentor is too, and you were upstairs fucking the mundane. Something obviously happened here last night and you were too busy to take care of our family” Alec spit out in frustration.

A part of Jace knew he was right, he had been right upstairs unaware of what was going on right under his nose, but he would never take back what had happened between him and Simon last night, “Are you fucking kidding me right now, Alec. Where were you? Weren’t you out fucking your warlock? I mean the sun is up and it appears you are just now getting home. In this instance we are the pot and the kettle so quit throwing stones.”

Alec hung his head knowing Jace was right, “I didn’t fuck anyone. I slept on the couch. I’d had a little too much wine”

“I don’t care, fuck him all you want or don’t fuck him, it’s your business”, he turned as if going into the library, but then stopped, “And Simon is my business”. He said it in a way that let Alec know that any further discussion on the topic of his jealousy over Simon was closed. They entered the library then and Jace could see that a fight had definitely occurred in here last night. Some of the glass cases were smashed, furniture flipped over, and there was even some blood splattered here and there. It wasn’t enough to think anyone was dead, but someone had been beat up pretty good.

Simon came in to the room then with fear in his eyes, “Jace, it’s the ace of cups card”, he held the tarot card in his hand, “but the cup is gone. It’s not in the picture anymore”

Alec got to him first taking the card from him and looking at it, “Where did you find this?”

“In my room, Clary had it, she must have figured out how to remove the cup, but where is it?”

Jace reached them running his hand through his blonde locks in thought, “Valentine, it’s the only answer that makes sense. He must have come here last night for the cup and taken it”

Simon’s eyes were wide, “But where is everyone?”

“He took them too”, it was the only conclusion that Jace could come to.

“Why would he take Hodge or Isabelle?” Alec asked.

Jace just shook his head, “I have no idea, but we need to figure out where he is. We have to go get them”

“Renwicks”, Simon blurted out, “Clary said he had been staying on Roosevelt Island in an abandoned asylum, Renwicks Hospital. Maybe he is still there”

“Maybe, but there’s only two of us”, Jace looked at Alec, “We’ll need more shadowhunters if we’re going after Valentine”

“Three, there’s three of us”, Simon interrupted him.

Jace looked down, “You’re staying here”

“No, Clary is my best friend, I’m going”, Simon could see the concern in Jace’s golden eyes, “Don’t try and stop me. I’ll just get there on my own”

Jace gritted his teeth, he didn’t like it, but he would rather have Simon next to him where he could protect him than running around without him. “Fine, but we need others and I’m not sure the Clave will decide to help us without any proof of what happened here.

Alec agreed, “I could call Magnus”

“And I’ll call the werewolves”, Simon exclaimed and Jace nodded. They had a plan. He just hoped they weren’t all walking into a trap.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope everyone is enjoying where this is going. Any and all feedback is much loved and appreciated.
> 
>  
> 
> As always thanks for reading!!


	17. Chapter 17

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Renwicks

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry I missed yesterday's update. I hate a horrible migraine. I'm not much better today, but I am feeling a little better so I pounded this out for you. Hope you like it. I'm all caught up on updates now so I'll get them up as often as I can. I'm off all weekend so my plan is to get a few more chapters written so I can be ahead of myself again. 
> 
> I'd love to know what everyone thinks so far.

Chapter 17

While they waited on Magnus and the Werewolves to meet them they headed up to the weapons room to grab supplies. Jace had no idea what to expect from Valentine so he stocked up on as many weapons as he could carry. He needed to be prepared for anything. He found Simon some gear and tossed it to him, “Put those on. It’ll protect you better than jeans and a t-shirt”.

Simon nodded and went about changing his clothes. Jace couldn’t help but take the moment to let his gaze linger on Simon’s pale luminous skin. He could feel Alec glaring at him from across the room, but Jace didn’t care what Alec thought. Simon was dressed and eyeing a bow, “Can I take this”, he grabbed it and the arrows.

Jace smirked at him, “Do you know how to use it?”

“Yea”, Simon nodded, “I learned at camp. I’m pretty good actually”

The blonde crossed the room to him and refastened Simon’s leather jacket that he had hooked up wrong. The gear could be tricky to put on if you weren’t used to it. Then he placed the quiver full of arrows around Simon’s shoulders and kissed him softly, “You look hot in leather”, he whispered in the brunettes ear. 

“I know right, how do you wear this stuff all the time. I’m sweating to death and I just put it on”

Jace laughed, “I mean you look sexy, but yea, the leather isn’t exactly a breathable material. It will however keep you safe and that is my main concern”

“If you two are done, we do have somewhere to be”, Alec interrupted them from the doorway loaded down with his own weapons and he had Isabelle’s whip strapped to his side.

The werewolves were waiting outside the Institute with a caravan of vehicles. Magnus stood next to Luke’s truck in all black his eyes on Alec as they walked toward the waiting cars. Alec thanked Luke and Magnus for coming while Jace jumped into the bed of Luke’s truck and said, “Let’s go kick some ass, boys”.

Once away from the city and onto the island the roads got bumpy and Jace pulled Simon close to him, “I guess I can’t talk you into waiting in the truck when we get there?”

“No, Jace. I’m coming with you”, Simon answered him full of conviction.

“Okay, just stay next to me. Don’t leave my side. We don’t have any idea what we could be walking into.”

“You’re really worried about me, aren’t you?” Simon was still surprised by Jace’s intensity.

“Yes”, it was all he could say without too much emotion showing, so he leaned in and kissed him in a way to show only Simon how much he cared.

The kiss broke and Simon was visibly flushed, “I’ll stay beside you. I promise”.

They went as far down the dirt road as they could before shutting off the engine and cutting the lights. They all spilled from the vehicles in the darkness and went the rest of the way on foot. Then the hospital and the fence surrounding it came into view, Simon spoke up, “This can’t be right, this place is a dump”.

“It’s glamoured. You can’t see it, but believe me it’s not a dump”, Jace explained to him as one of Luke’s men rattled the chain length fence. Then the werewolf slashed the fence into pieces with the claws from his hand. They all moved forward together heading for the house, that’s when Jace saw the movement on the front porch. “Forsaken, Simon stay behind me”, he pulled his blade with one hand and shoved Simon behind him with the other. The werewolves fell to all fours and shifted howling into the night. 

Luke looked at Jace, “We’ll hold them off. Get in the house and find Jocelyn and Clary”. Jace nodded and headed toward the front door. The battle waged around them and Jace cut down any forsaken that got anywhere close to them. He kept a watchful eye on Simon and stayed connected with Alec nearby through their parabatai bond. They made their way to the door quickly and kicked it in. Alec moved inside first led by his witchlight followed by Magnus. Jace pushed Simon into the foyer first and then backed inside before closing the door on the fight on the front yard.

Inside was cold and silent like a tomb. Simon was visibly shaken by what he had seen and Jace touched his face, “Hey, are you okay?” Simon nodded and took a deep breath calming his self. Jace looked at Alec, “We should split up”.

“We’re stronger together” Alec argued with him.

“But we’ll cover more ground separately”, Jace countered. Alec agreed and went off a side hall with Magnus. Jace took Simon’s hand in his and led them up the stairs, “Stay close”. The stairs seemed to creak with every step Simon made. Jace wore the silence rune, but every noise that came from behind him reminded him of how mundane Simon was. That point only made Jace feel how vulnerable that made his beautiful boy as he led him further into the lion’s den. 

At the top of the stairs they passed a weapon’s room and then a bedroom where Jocelyn Fray lay sound asleep chained to a bed. “Ms. Fray”, Simon said out loud and started into the room. Jace held him back shaking his head no.

“We’ll come back for her”, but then in the hallway he saw two men in gear. He recognized them immediately even though it had been years since he last saw them. They were the men who had killed his father. Jace shoved Simon into the bedroom with Jocelyn and shut the door. He pulled two blades quickly from his back and went in for the attack. The first one was caught off guard as Jace’s sword gutted him and he fell to the floor in a pool of his own blood.

The other stood there grabbing his own seraph blade, “Now look boy, we weren't going to hurt you”, Jace swung at him forcefully but the shadowhunter blocked the blow and shoved Jace backwards their weapons locked together. “I didn’t want to have to do this kid”, he raised another weapon as Jace scrambled to his feet. Then an arrow flew by him landing in the throat of the man in black. 

Jace spun around to see Simon in the doorway bow in hand, “Told you I was good so quit shoving me into rooms. I want to help you”

He smiled, “Sorry, knee jerk reaction to protect what’s mine”

“I’m yours now”, Simon blushed.

Possessively Jace answered him, “Yes, now let’s find the others and come back for Jocelyn.”

Another corridor and more doors, they searched all of them, and then in the last door on the left a room full of artwork stood a man with stark white hair. A man that he never thought he would see again. His heart was beating through his chest as he walked into the room smiling crossing to him without even thinking. He heard Simon’s voice but not his words as he embraced the man before him. “Jace what are you doing? He has to die”, the blonde heard the arrow being pulled from the quiver and turned placing his hand up to stop him.

“Simon, no, you can’t kill him. He’s my father”


	18. Chapter 18

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The true story

Chapter 18

Simon just stood there awestruck by Jace’s words, “You said your father was dead”

Jace was beaming, “I, uh, I thought he was, but Simon this is my father. This is Michael Wayland”

The man with white hair placed his hands on Jace’s shoulders and squeezed them with what felt like pride to Jace. “Actually, that’s not my name. My name is Valentine Morgenstern”

Jace spun around staring at his father, “No, you’re my father. You’re Michael Wayland”, he held up his hand showing his family ring, “See a W for Wayland”

Valentine smiled, “It’s all in the way you look at it”, and he pulled the ring off Jace’s finger and flipped it around placing it now as an M back on his finger.

“I’m a Morgenstern? Clary is my sister? No, I don’t believe this”, Jace could feel himself losing his grasp on reality. The whole world was spinning right from under his feet. Simon was there then his arms around him holding him up. He was the gravity, the center of everything in that moment and Jace needed Simon for strength. 

Valentine didn’t answer Jace’s questions as he looked between the two boys, “So it seems Hodge was right about you. He told me about your little dalliances with boys. I didn’t want to believe him, but it’s obvious. You and this mundane it makes me sick. He also told me about you kissing your parabatai in the Institutes greenhouse. If you were my son I would disown you for this abomination” Valentine grinned wickedly as the truth spilled from his lips, “But you are not my son. I raised you, but you are not my biological child. Jonathan is my child”

Jace’s expressions had gone from shock, to disappointment, and then to confusion, “But I am Jonathan. I am Jonathan Christopher”

“It’s true; I gave you both the same name. I figured it would be easier to not confuse the two of you.”

“I don’t understand”, Jace could feel the bottom dropping out from under him, “If you’re not my father than who is? Was the real Michael Wayland my dad? Who am I?”

“Unfortunately Michael Wayland and his son were collateral damage in my plan. I needed to be dead and there needed to be bodies, so I burned them. It was regrettable, but it had to be done for my survival and for yours. You and Jonathan were my boys I snuck away with both of you and raised you close together in separate homes. Valentine had to be gone so I became Wayland. It worked for a while, but someone discovered my identity so I faked my death again and sent you away to the Lightwoods. You were part of my master plan, but now I can’t even look at you.” Valentine gestured toward Simon, “This is all wrong, it’s disgusting”.

Jace had enough of his harsh words he drew his blade and swung towards Valentine who blocked every attempt. The clanging of swords was all that could be heard until he heard Simon scream out. Jace spun around to find Jonathan holding Simon with a knife at his throat. In that same moment Valentine seized the opportunity to grab Jace by the hair and place his blade on his neck mirroring Simon across the room. Jace knew in that moment they were both doomed.

Jonathan’s silky voice loomed in the air, “Shall we dispatch of them together father?”

“No, I think Jace needs to learn a lesson. String the mundane up over in the corner. This one needs to remember a lesson I taught him years ago. Do you remember the lesson, Jace?”

Jace gritted his teeth and nodded, “To love is to destroy”

“Yes and to be loved is to be the one destroyed”, Valentine whispered the rest in his ear.

Jace watched as Jonathan tore off Simon's jacket and shirt that he had so carefully chosen to protect him earlier and then shackled Simon’s hands together and strung him up by a beam in the ceiling. He hung there unable to get free and Jace wanted nothing more than to take away his pain. “He has nothing to do with this. Just let him go. You have me, so punish me.”

Jonathan threw his father another set of shackles and Valentine placed them on Jace before pushing him to the floor on his knees. “This is punishing you. Jonathan watch your brother for me while I play with his little friend”, Valentine said as he walked toward Simon with his blade in hand. 

"He's not my brother", Jonathan spat out in hatred.

Valentine shrugged, "You know what I meant", and then he cut a diagonal line from Simon’s left shoulder to his belly button. The scream of his beautiful boy in anguish crushed Jace as he was forced to watch Valentine scar Simon’s chest. He then made another cut from his right shoulder to his belly button forming a huge V over his body. Jace knew he was marking him with a star and he closed his eyes unable to watch any more. The screams were bad enough and Jace wished he could shut off his ears as well.

In the next moment he heard another scream, a female voice shouting, “No”, and Jace opened his eyes to see Clary run into the room and get between Simon and her father, “No, not Simon. Valentine he’s my friend, please”

“Move Clarissa, I’m teaching Jace a lesson. I’m going to kill this mundane and you can’t stop me”

“You’ll have to kill me first”, Clary stood her ground and Jace couldn’t have loved the red haired spit fire more than he did in that moment.

Valentine raised his blade high in the air. Clary held her ground. Jace’s heart was beating out of his chest struggling to free his self and then Valentine swung fast and sharp toward Clary. Simon screamed out Clary’s name telling her to move, but she didn’t budge. She protected her friend shielding him with her own body as the blade came toward them.


	19. Chapter 19

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> What to do with Jonathan

Chapter 19

Jonathan stepped in between them blocking his father’s blade saving his sister. He had fire in his eyes as he shoved Valentine back, “You’re going to kill your own daughter? Why, to get back at your fake son? He doesn’t matter, he never mattered.”

“She would have moved. I would never hurt your sister Jonathan. You have to know that. As for Jace, he does matter. I have to break him. You should really let your petty jealousy aside. You always did feel I loved him more than you”, Valentine tried to assure his son. A door swung open behind them at the far end of the room and in walked Isabelle holding her whip flanked on each side by Alec and Magnus. “Behind you, Jonathan”, Valentine warned his son not noticing what was happening behind himself.

Luke stepped up quickly behind Valentine and slit his throat in one fast motion, “You should have been watching your own back, old friend”, and Jace watched the man who had raised him fall to the floor in a pool of his own blood.

“Noooo”, Jonathan screamed raising his sword in anger and rushed toward Luke. Isabelle was quicker flinging her whip around Jonathan’s wrist and pulling him to the floor. Alec stood over him pinning him down with his boot against Jonathan’s neck. Clary just stood there in shock holding her hand over her mouth after watching the man who raised her kill a man she’d never really known, a man that was her father.

Luke retrieved the key from Valentine’s dead body and tossed it to Clary who released Jace first after getting her wits about her and then together they pulled Simon down from the rafter and unlocked him as well. The metal shackles were warm in Jace’s hand as he crossed over and placed them onto Jonathan’s wrists. He then ran to Simon taking off his own shirt to place over his beautiful boys bleeding chest. “I’m sorry. I’m so sorry. This is my fault. I never should have let you come with us”, Jace pleaded to Simon.

Simon reached up to touch Jace’s face, “I won’t hear any of that. This is not your fault. I wanted to come. I knew what we could be walking into. I’m fine”

“Don’t say your fine. You are obviously not fine. He scarred you”, Jace kept pressure on the wounds that he knew couldn’t be erased with a simple iratze like his own.

Simon shoved his glasses up onto his face where they had slid down his nose, “I think it gives me character”; he smiled up at the blonde.

Jace just shook his head at Simon’s attempt to be funny in a situation that Jace found far from laughable. He helped the brunette up and let him lean on Clary as Jace walked back over to where Jonathan stood between the others. “So what are we doing with him?”

“We should take him to the Clave”, Alec stated. “He tried to kill Luke and he almost killed Jace before. He’s Valentine’s son that makes him dangerous”

Clary piped in dragging Simon with her, “I’m Valentine’s daughter does that make me dangerous too? Also he just saved me from getting sliced in half by our father”

“He turned me into a rat and gave me to a bunch of vampires, let’s not forget that”, Simon joined in.

Then Isabelle said something, “He stopped Hodge from killing me back at the Institute last night. He didn’t have to do that”

“Hodge tried to what?” Alec asked his sister shocked by her statement.

“Hodge was in on the whole thing. Clary took him the cup once she figured out how to retrieve it from the card. Then Hodge summoned Valentine. Jonathan came with him and I tried to stop Hodge from leaving once Valentine broke the spell. He would have killed me. I’m sure of it, but Jonathan stepped in and stopped Hodge from hurting me. That should count for something”

Jace noticed a look pass between Jonathan and Isabelle that he didn’t understand, but he also knew it was a look that he didn’t like. Isabelle was like a sister to him, but as he looked at Jonathan he realized he could have easily been his brother. “He’s done some bad and he’s done some good. He was raised by Valentine and I understand what that is like”, Jace looked at them and told his story. He told them about Valentine raising him and believing he was Michael Wayland. He told them how he wasn’t who he thought he was and that he still didn’t know who his true parents were, but then he finished with, “I don’t know who I’d have become without the Lightwoods raising me for the past seven years. I could be the one standing in Jonathan’s shoes right now so maybe he deserves the benefit of the doubt. Maybe we should try and help him”

Luke finally spoke after listening to everyone’s opinions, “This is Jocelyn’s son, and I want to help him, but the only right thing to do is to take him to the Clave. You can all give testimony of what he’s done and tell them if you think he can be redeemed, but it is the Inquisitors decision not yours.”

They all seemed to nod knowing that Luke was right. This was out of their hands. Clary spoke up, “Let’s just find my mom and get out of this place”

Jace looked at her, “Your mom is just down the corridor. We found her earlier”, Clary turned heading for her mom, but Jace’s hand on her shoulder stopped her, “I want to thank you for what you did earlier for Simon. If there is anything you ever need just ask”

“I didn’t do it for you. I did it for Simon. He’s my best friend. I love him. He’d have done the same for me. Now show me where my mom is”, Clary told him and then he showed her to the room that held her mother. They freed her of her shackles with the key they had taken from Valentine and then Jace lifted her up and carried her back to the stairwell where Luke was waiting to take her. Jace took Simon from Alec who was helping him. With his arms around his beautiful boy he walked him down the stairs glad that they were all safe and leaving this place together. Jace never wanted to think of the moment where he thought he was going to lose Simon. Valentine was gone and he glanced at Jonathan who was being led by Alec and Izzy and hoped that he wouldn’t be like their father.

They stepped out the front door where the pack of werewolves greeted them. It was in that moment with the sun coming up over the tree tops, the pink sky reminding him of the blood of the only father he’d ever known covering the floor just upstairs, and Jace remembered the cup, “The mortal cup, did any of you find it?”

Everyone shook their heads their eyes wide realizing in all the commotion they had forgotten it too. They had all been too relieved to all be leaving alive. Jonathan turned toward Jace with his white blonde hair, “I know where it is”.

“Where is it?” Alec questioned him.

Jonathan laughed, “Not here. It’s nowhere you’ll ever find it”

Luke was still carrying Jocelyn, “Let the Clave handle him and finding the cup. We should get Jocelyn and Simon some help”. They all loaded into the trucks they had come in; Jace looked around at Isabelle and Clary happy to have them back and then he looked at Simon brushing his hand through his soft curls. He would never forgive himself for putting Simon in danger and he’d never be able to forget what had happened here. There would be a permanent scar marring his chest and he hated Valentine for that. Jace also had loved Valentine and as the truck pulled off the dirt road heading for the city he felt the loss of losing his father all over again the same way he had when he was just a ten year old boy. 

Simon seeming to know what he was thinking spoke to him, “You know Valentine was wrong. To love is not to destroy. He was so full of hate and he destroyed everything he had. You are full of love and light and you’re leaving here stronger surrounded by people who love you”. Jace could only nod swallowing down the lump in his throat. He wanted nothing more than to believe Simon, but a part of him wasn’t sure that his love wouldn’t be the thing to destroy Simon.


	20. Chapter 20

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> An uncomfortable and vulnerable Jace

Chapter 20

The fluorescent lights of the hospital made Jace uncomfortable. He was used to dark spaces, candles, and witchlight. This light weighed on him too much and he felt naked and vulnerable to anyone’s prying eyes. He ignored the stares of passersby as well as he could and put up with all of this unknown for Simon. Jace had never been to a mundane hospital before; he would have just used a rune or gone to the infirmary at the Institute. He wasn’t used to the nurses rushing by in scrubs or the humans sitting around with fear in their eyes unable to help. He paced back and forth in the waiting room in his leather gear sticking out like a sore thumb. 

A part of him wished he’d gone with Isabelle and Alec to take Jonathan to the Silent City, but he hadn’t wanted to leave Simon’s side. He relaxed a bit when he saw Clary striding toward him her fiery red hair flaming behind her. “They are admitting my mom. Where’s Simon?”

“They took him back to a room. I’m waiting”, he gritted his teeth on the last word.

“I can see you’re not exactly good at waiting”, her eyes examined him as she spoke.

Jace stared at her from behind his black hood, and sighed. “First time in a hospital”

She was shocked and then nodded, “Right this is a mundane thing”, she must have read the worry on his face, and “Simon will be fine. They’re just going to stitch him up and then I’ll take him home. You can go since you’re so uncomfortable”

“I’m staying and I’m bringing him back to the Institute with us”, he said it with conviction not wanting to argue with Clary.

“With us, but I’m not going to the Institute”, Clary told him surprised he thought she would want to go there.

“Then exactly where were you going to go? Your mom is here and you should be with your kind”

Clary glared at him, “Oh and Luke isn’t my kind is that what you mean?”

He turned pulling his hood down and running his gloved leather hand through his tangled hair, “Luke has enough to worry about with watching over your mother. You shouldn’t go to your home alone. You’re a shadowhunter without a parent to watch over you right now. You belong at the Institute.”

“And Simon, why is he going there? He’s not a shadowhunter and I’m sure his mom is starting to get suspicious with him being gone so long”

Jace leaned against the cold tile wall, “You’re right, he probably should go home, but I want him with me. I want him safe”

“Valentine is dead”, Jace visibly flinched at her words, and she continued “The danger is gone. He is safe now and he’s safer far away from this world”

He nodded, “He probably is. I’m sure I’m a selfish prick for wanting him in my life, but I do”

Clary jammed her finger into Jace’s chest, “Then why did you hurt him? You told him to get out and to take me with him. You said you didn’t care and he came to me a broken mess. If you care so much you sure do have a sick way of showing it”

He just looked down at her finger still jamming into him, “We’ve worked through that. It’s none of your concern”

“Damn right it’s my concern. He’s my best friend. I don’t like you Jace. I’m pretty sure you’re going to hurt him and if you do you will have me to answer for it. Do you understand me? Hurt him and I hurt you”, Clary was all piss and fire as she told Jace off.

Jace smiled down at her petite frame, “It’s a deal. If I hurt him I’ll let you beat the shit out of me”

She crossed her arms and looked confused at him, “Seriously?”

“Clary I have no intention of hurting Simon.”

“So you really care about him?” Clary’s demeanor calmed down.

He nodded in answer not wanting to say more. Jace wasn’t sure exactly what he felt for Simon. He knew he cared deeply for him, that it was more than lust or friendship, but he wasn’t sure if was ready to categorize it as love quiet yet. It was then that he saw Simon walking toward them, his chest bandaged underneath his leather jacket. “Let’s get out of here”, Simon said as he stepped in between them.

Clary spoke up first, “Yes let’s get you home”

“I’ve already talked to my mom; she thinks I’m going to a convention with Eric. I can’t go home like this”, Simon glanced down at his chest. “I wouldn’t be able to explain the wounds”

Jace put his arm around Simon’s waist leading him through the ER doors into the noisy city streets, “Then it’s settled. We go to the Institute”. He could hear Clary huff out in frustration behind him, but he could also hear her footsteps following without arguing anymore.

Back at the Institute Jace led Simon up to his room and held the door open for him. Jace turned to go to his own room, “Aren’t you going to invite me in tonight?” Simon asked him once his back was turned.

“I figured you needed your rest”, Jace turned around to answer him.

“What I really need is not to be alone”

Jace didn’t say a word he just took Simon’s hand in his and pulled him into his own room and Simon shut the door behind them. They were silent as they undressed getting out of their leather gear. Jace watched from the corner of his eye as Simon stripped down the sight of the bandages torturing Jace’s soul. Simon put on one of Jace’s t-shirts and left his boxer briefs on before climbing into bed the look of exhaustion clear on his face. Jace looked down at his own stamina rune on his skin another reminder that his beautiful boy was just a mundane. He crawled into the bed next to him and pulled Simon into his arms comforting him. “You should sleep. I’ll be here when you wake up”.

He felt Simon relax in his embrace and before he knew it he could hear his breaths fall into a pattern as he drifted into slumber. Jace just held him listening to his heartbeat; watching him sleep. He lay there for a while unable to drift off on his own. There were too many thoughts in his head unable to shut out the voices that haunted him. Around 3am still awake he slowly got out of bed, not wanting to disturb Simon, and tossed on some clothes before going down to the music room. Jace often found himself late at night at the piano letting his emotions pour out of him through his music. 

Jace played, getting lost in his own mind and letting his fingers do the work, he didn’t notice someone come in the room. He didn’t notice anything until someone set down on the bench next to him. He turned sharply in surprise but then calmed when he saw Simon sitting there, “I thought you said you’d be there when I woke?”

“I didn’t expect you to wake yet. Sorry if I worried you”

Simon put his hands over Jace’s on the keys. “I am worried, but not because you weren’t in bed. I’m worried about you. You don’t have to be strong all the time, you know.”

“I’m fine”, Jace’s voice wavered unintentionally.

“You can lean on me. It’s okay. You lost your father tonight”, Simon linked his fingers with Jace’s.

“He wasn’t my father”, Jace clenched his jaw not wanting to talk about this.

Simon wouldn’t give in, “He was the man who raised you. You loved him like a father. You are allowed to mourn him”

“I mourned him years ago”, Jace refused to look at Simon.

“But you had to watch him die all over again tonight”, Simon reached up touching Jace’s cheek and forced his eyes to look at him, “I’m here for you, if you want to talk we can talk, if you want to just sit here I’ll sit with you, and if you need a shoulder to cry on I won’t tell a soul about it. I’m here for you Jace”

Jace couldn’t hold the feelings back any longer he lay his head down on the piano keys a crescendo of notes spilling into the air and he broke letting the pain out. He was ashamed of his own tears. He wasn’t someone who cried, but he’d never had someone show him as much care and affection as Simon just had. Simon scooped his head up and laid it in his own lap, stroking the long blonde locks trying his best to soothe the boy who no longer knew where he came from. 

After a few minutes Jace set up drying his eyes, “You never speak of this to anyone”

Simon just smiled, “Speak of what? I just came in here to bring you back to bed, handsome”

Jace leaned in kissing Simon softly, breathing in his scent, “Then lead the way”. Simon took Jace’s hand in his kissed his scarred knuckles and led him back down the corridors to his room and into their bed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks to all of you reading this. I'm enjoying writing this Simon and Jace. I'm going to split this into two parts and I'm getting closer to ending the first half. This part has been from Jace's POV and the next part will be from Simons. I'm really looking forward to that part. Also this is where COB would normally end, but not my story. We'll go a little into COA before this half is finished. Hope everyone enjoys the update.


	21. Chapter 21

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Simon helps Jace get to sleep

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This one is um intense, yea let's go with intense. Enjoy!!!!!!

Chapter 21

Back in the stillness of the bedroom Jace lay there staring at the ceiling. He felt the bed move as Simon rolled onto his side to face him, “Still not tired?”

Jace moved his head to the left facing Simon, “Not really”

“I could help with that”, Simon smiled at him.

“You know some secret way to make me sleepy?” Jace questioned him.

Simon let his hand drift down Jace’s chest and fingered the top edge of his boxers, “You just need to release a little pent up energy”.

Jace took a deep breath, “Simon you just got out of the hospital”

“So, my hands are in perfect working order”, Simon leaned in sucking on Jace’s ear lobe before whispering, “Let me please you”.

The blondes heart rate quickened, his body reacting, getting hard without even being touched yet. His gold eyes met Simon’s brown ones and he nodded. Jace closed his eyes as he felt Simon’s hand slip under the elastic of his shorts and grip his length. He licked his lips and then Simon slowly moved his hand up and down slowly at first. When Jace let out a little moan his movements sped up just a bit. He opened his eyes to look at Simon but his eyes were hooded cloaked in lust. Jace watched Simon’s face as he concentrated on what he was doing and then let his gaze drift down Simon’s arm to where his hand was. The image of Simon touching him released another moan from Jace. 

Simon’s grip tightened and moved faster as Jace lay there whimpering under his touch. “Does it feel good?” Simon’s voice hummed in his ear. Jace nodded, his breathing quick, his body tense. “I want to see you let go. I want to see your face when you cum”. That was all it took for Jace to find his release, his eyes rolled back, his back arched, he bit his bottom lip just before groaning out in intense pleasure, and he spilled himself onto his stomach. Simon just grinned with pride, “That was the sexiest fucking thing I’ve ever seen”.

Jace rolled over onto Simon his hand moved to cup Simon’s face, his long fingers splayed into his brunette curls and his lips crashed down onto Simon’s. He heard Simon gasp in surprise as his tongue entered his mouth. Jace’s hair fell onto Simon’s cheekbones tickling him. He wanted to take Simon right there. Jace thought about pushing Simon’s legs over his head, spreading him, and fucking him right into the mattress, but he knew Simon was new at this. He’d promised to go slow, so he rolled away stopping himself from taking things too far. 

“Hey, where are you going?” Simon asked as he moved across the bed resting his head on Jace’s chest. 

“We should stop”, Jace looked away from Simon’s eyes.

Simon sat up, “I get it. I’ll go”, he moved to get out of the bed.

Jace’s movements were faster than Simon could have seen with his own eyes. Jace had pulled him back to the sheets pinning him down with his own body, “I said stop, not leave”

“I’m not like you Jace. I’m not the sex god you are. I’m not an angel, or a hero, I’m just some mundane. I still don’t get what you see in me.” Simon let out all of his secrets.

Jace didn’t know if he should laugh or scream at Simon, “Are you serious? Is that what you think? I didn’t want to stop. I wanted more. I wanted to make you mine. I wanted to see your eyes as I slipped inside of you. I’ve never wanted someone so bad in my life, but I didn’t think you were ready so I forced myself to stop. Don’t ever think that I don’t want you or that you’re not enough”

“There’s just one thing you don’t understand about me then”, Simon told him, “I’m already yours. I’ve been yours. I want you to take me”, Simon ran his thumb over Jace’s bottom lip before pulling him down for a kiss. 

Before Jace let himself get lost in Simon, he sat up, “Are you sure?”

Simon leaned up in the bed to be face to face with Jace, “I’m positive”, Simon slipped his shirt over his head and threw it to the floor, “Now quit wasting time asking questions”.

Jace got out of the bed, slipped off his own underwear the rest of the way, and grabbed a couple things from his nightstand. Simon’s eyes widened a bit at the sight of the condoms and the lube, but Jace didn’t ask him about this again. He could tell Simon was sure by the sight of his strained cock peeking out from the top of his briefs. Jace licked his lips and crawled back into the bed with his beautiful boy. “Take off your shorts”, Jace’s voice was commanding and Simon obliged him removing his underwear.

Simon watched eagerly as Jace got on his hands and knees and inched up his body. Jace just hovered over Simon taking in the sight of their two naked bodies lying together and then he sunk down on top of the brunette. Their legs straddling each other as Jace reached into Simon’s hair bringing their mouths together in an intense kiss. Jace’s other hand reaching down around Simon’s thigh lifting his leg just a bit so Jace could get closer. The friction of their two erections pressed together caused Simon to moan out in pleasure and Jace smiled into him deepening the kiss. They lay that way for a while just making out, touching, and rubbing against each other. Once Jace was sure Simon was ready he kissed his way down his chest making sure to be careful around Simon’s bandaged wounds. Simon’s eyes were hooded and needy as Jace lifted his legs up onto his shoulders. 

Jace looked down at his beautiful boy posed and ready for him. He let his eyes roam over his body before opening the bottle of lube and spreading it over his fingers and at Simon’s entrance. “It’s cold”, Simon giggled.

“It’ll warm up”, Jace answered, his voice full of lust. Jace let one finger slip in and Simon clenched around him. “You have to relax, just breathe baby”. He watched as Simon took a deep breath and tried to relax around Jace’s finger. Simon nodded and Jace pressed in a little further readying him. Then he added a second finger stretching him further and Simon was breathing heavy biting at his own lower lip in anticipation. “I’m going to add a third, are you ready?” Simon’s eyes were wide, he looked almost panicked, but he nodded his acceptance. Jace added his third finger scissoring them all and Simon tightened around him again, “Relax, it’s going to feel so good, I promise”. 

Simon did as told again and loosened up, “Does it always hurt like this?”

“A little”, Jace didn’t want to lie, “But the pleasure is worth all the pain”

“Is the pleasure coming soon?” Simon asked and Jace crooked his fingers hitting the bundle of nerves he knew was there and watched as Simon moaned out in intense bliss, “Oh shit”.

Jace just grinned wickedly before leaning down and kissing Simon biting just a bit on his lower lip, “You look so sexy right now”, and then he pulled his fingers out leaving Simon feeling empty. Jace grabbed the condom and ripped it open with his teeth before placing it over himself. He leaned down placing himself at Simon’s entrance, “Remember to relax”, and then he slowly pushed himself inside. “Oh fuck, you’re so tight”

Simon took a deep breath attempting to get used to this new feeling, “That’s probably because you’re so big”. This caused Jace to laugh and Simon must have felt it as his nails dug into Jace’s back. “That felt weird”, he told Jace. The blonde just lay there deep inside of Simon letting him acclimate to the feeling. Simon leaned up kissing Jace letting his tongue run over the blondes perfect lips, “Move Jace, please”.

He didn’t have to say it twice as Jace pulled back and then sunk back in slamming their hips together in slow sweet agony. Jace was easy with him at first just gradually moving in and out, their bodies finding a rhythm together. There were hands moving over one another and sweat dripping from their bodies that clung to each other as they made love. Jace sped up needing more, Simon’s toes curled in the air over them. They grunted and clawed at each other, kissing and moaning, it was the most all-consuming, fierce moment they had ever experienced and they both fell off the edge together their bodies writhing clenching at each other and the wet sheets beneath them. Finally sated curled up in the crook of Simon’s arm with the morning sun just starting to rise over the skyscrapers of the city Jace was able to close his eyes. The noises were quieted in his head, he found some peace, and he drifted off to a soundless sleep. Simon held him to his chest and they slept wrapped up in the other.


	22. Chapter 22

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A visitor comes to the Institute to see Jace

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry I wasn't able to update yesterday, but I just pounded one out for you tonight. I hope you like it and enjoy the changes I'm making.

Chapter 22

The room was warm when the sun streaming through the windows inching closer and closer to the bed as every hour passed. Jace wasn’t sure how long he’d been awake as he laid just watching Simon sleep. He was enjoying just having Simon there with him his breath steady, the light little snores, and his messy curly hair. Simon’s eyes slowly opened once the sunlight made its way to the bed. “Good morning”, Jace said as Simon burrowed under the sheets and into Jace’s side.

“No, it’s not morning yet, turn off the lights”, Simon’s words tickling Jace’s ribs.

“You’re right, it’s probably afternoon by now”, Jace laughed at him.

Simon groaned into the sheets, “I’m still tired. You kept me up too late”

“I didn’t hear you arguing at the time. You rather seemed to be enjoying yourself”, Jace lifted the sheets up to see Simon staring up at him.

“I’m pretty sure the enjoying was mutual”, Simon crawled up Jace’s chest planting a soft kiss on his lips.

Before Jace could answer the door of his room swung open and Isabelle came barging in with her black hair sweeping like a cape behind her, “Up and at em, Jace. You can’t just sleep the day away.” She walked to the chair in his room grabbing the clothes that were in it and tossed them on his bed without looking.

“I’m rather indisposed at the moment Izzy, if you don’t mind”, Jace told her as Simon slid under the covers attempting to hide.

“Please, it’s not as if I haven’t seen you naked before. I was there when you ate that faerie plum. The sight of you wearing nothing but antlers running down Madison Avenue is still vividly engrained in my head”, Isabelle rambled as she stood by the window, “Now get dressed the Inquisitor is downstairs to see you”

“Why is she here to see me? I was going to give my testimony when summoned like everyone else”, Jace demanded.

“She didn’t tell me why, just that she needed to speak with you, now come on and get up”, Izzy walked to the bed and yanked the sheet off exposing Jace and Simon’s naked bodies tangled up in each other. “Oh”, she blushed violently red, “Sorry Simon”, and she ran out of the room embarrassed.

Simon scurried from the bed and grabbed the sheet wrapping it around himself, “I take it the Inquisitor being here is not a good thing?”

“No”, Jace grabbed the clothes Isabelle had placed on the bed for him and began to get dressed. “I don’t think it’s a good thing at all, but I have to go talk to her. You should stay here. The clave doesn’t like us mixing with mundanes and the fact that we’re both men won’t go over well either”

“Maybe I should leave then. The last thing I want is to cause you trouble”, Simon was putting his glasses on and already picking up his things to go.

Jace moved quickly across the room taking Simon’s hands in his, “I want you to stay. Please. I don’t really care what the clave thinks. I just don’t know what the Inquisitor is here for and I don’t want to give her a reason to distrust me or the Institute.”

Simon nodded, “Okay, I’ll stay hidden”

“Thank you”, Jace kissed him softly before slipping his shirt over his head and heading downstairs.

In the dimly lit foyer the Inquisitor stood wearing a fitted suit with her pale blonde hair pulled back in a severe bun. She turned and watched as Jace descended the stairs. “You are Jace Wayland?”

“Yes, I am”, he answered her.

“I have been speaking to Jonathan Morgenstern all morning and before I release him I have to confirm his story”, she spoke matter of fact.

“Release him? Why would you release him so soon? He needs to be questioned. We all need to give our testimony of what happened.” Jace was visibly upset by the thought of the clave just releasing Valentine’s son so quickly.

She walked closer to where Jace stood and looked him over, “I’ll need you to remove your shirt”

“Excuse me”, Jace was flabbergasted by her request. “You haven’t answered my question”

“Jonathan has bartered with me for his release. He has told me something that once I confirm I have promised to release him into the custody of the Lightwoods. He will stay here in their care at the Institute.” She explained to him.

“What could be worth that type of barter? Did he tell you where the cup is?” Jace paced back and forth agitated and still not sure what role he played in any of this.

The Inquisitor nodded, “He has told us of the cup, but I still need you to remove your shirt”

Jace’s heart race wondering if this was about Simon. He tried to remember if he had any nail or teeth marks on his back or chest. He didn’t think so, but he wasn’t positive. “I don’t see what me taking my shirt off has to do with anything”, he attempted a joke to lighten the mood, “Unless you just want to see a perfectly sculpted male form”

The Inquisitor bit back a smile almost knowingly, “I’m pretty sure what Jonathan has told me is true based on your attitude, but I still need to see. I have to be sure. Remove your shirt. I won’t ask again”, her tone was firm and unyielding on the last sentence. Jace nodded and took a deep breath before removing his shirt over his head. He watched as the Inquisitor stepped forward and examined the birthmark on his shoulder. Jace was shocked to see a tear slide down her face and she cupped his face in her hand. “It’s true”.

Jace stepped back from her not sure what was going on, but suddenly uncomfortable he slid his shirt back on, “What’s true?”

“Jace, I’m your grandmother”, she tried reaching out for him again, but Jace stepped back once more.

“What are you talking about?” Jace felt his whole world slipping again and wished Simon was here to anchor him the way he had last night.

“Jonathan told me about how you were raised by Valentine and how you believed yourself to be a Wayland. I also know that Valentine told you all this was a lie last night”

“Yes, but how are you suddenly my grandmother. I don’t even know who my parents really were”, Jace leaned against the stair rail for support.

“You are a Herondale. My son Stephen and his wife, Celine were your parents. You look so much like them both, but the birthmark is how I know for sure. The mark you bare on your shoulder is a mark all Herondale men have. I thought at first Jonathan just might be telling me what I wanted to hear, but that mark doesn’t lie. You are Jace Herondale.”

“That name doesn’t mean anything to me. I don’t know any of you. Where are they anyway? Did they give me up or just didn’t want to come see me” Jace was angry and lashed out at the only person standing there.

“They are both dead. They died before you were even born. Jonathan told me that Valentine cut you out of Celine’s stomach after she had committed suicide. I don’t know why he did that and until this morning I didn’t know you were still alive. I’m so sorry”, she was crying as she told the story of her son and his wife.

Jace stood there grinding his jaw unsure of what to say or how to feel about any of this. He gripped the stair rail hard wanting to go to Simon, but also wanting to get as far from the woman in front of him as possible. He didn’t want to hear any more stories about who he was or wasn’t. Everything he had ever known was a lie and he wanted to get away from it all. Jace ran passed the Inquisitor. He ran out of the Institute and into the bustling city. He ran hard and fast and when he was out of breath he continued running. He didn’t know where he was going; he just had to do something to stop the pain in his chest.


	23. Chapter 23

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jace visits someone

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry it's been a few days since an update and sorry this one is shorter. I've been waiting to get my hands on City of Ashes. I let my mom borrow my copies of all the books so she could read them and we don't live close so I had to wait for pay day to get an electronic copy for my ipad. Now that I have it I can work on the next chapters.

Chapter 23

The afternoon sun blazed down on his skin, sweat ran down his face, but Jace continued to run. He wished that he could just run away from everything, but he knew life didn’t work like that. Jace wasn’t sure where he was headed until he found himself standing in front of the crypt in the middle of the cemetery. He stood at the entrance of the Silent City and he nodded realizing he was there to speak with Jonathan. He entered and descended down into the depths until he was greeted by one of the Silent Brothers. Jace could hear Brother Jeremiah’s voice in his head, “You seek answers here, but you already know the truth. You are a Herondale”

“I still want to talk to him”, Jace answered.

Brother Jeremiah waved his hand showing Jace the way toward the cells. He walked past many empty prisons before finding Jonathan lying in the last one. “Come to see if it’s true then?” Jonathan asked as he sat up leaning his elbows on his knees.

“Yes”, Jace gripped the metal bars with his long fingers, “How long have you known the truth of me?”

“A while”, Jonathan stood walking toward the bars, “I always knew you existed, and one day when I asked about you my father told me the story of how he took you from your mother’s womb. He told me your true name and he said I was never to mention it to another soul, but now he is gone and I am here. I used the information to bargain with the one woman who would want it. It rather did work in my favor that she is the Inquisitor.”

“Why would he save me? I was just a baby. It doesn’t make sense for a man that ruthless to save a child and raise him as his own”

Jonathan smiled, “Ah that part I did not tell the Inquisitor, that part I saved for you, but I’m not sure I’m ready to tell you”

“She’s going to release you and you’re going to be living in the Institute with me and the only family I’ve ever known. Show me that you want to do right and I can make your time there a little easier. Or you can continue to play games and I can make your life a living hell”, Jace exclaimed. 

Jonathan placed his hands over Jace’s around the steel bars, “I have been nice. I told your grandmother only the things she needed to hear. I didn’t tell your secrets about your pretty little mundane or about what you really are. Maybe she’d like to hear about your boy toy. Won’t grandmother be proud?”

Jace pulled against Jonathan’s grip on his hands finally releasing himself he stepped back into the shadows, “What do you mean what I really am?”

Jonathan just smirked, “Valentine experimented on you, on all of us. He injected your mother with blood while she was carrying you.”

“All of us?” Jace staggered back unsure of what all this meant.

“Yes, me, you, and Clary”, Jonathan told him; “He toyed with us. He was trying to build stronger more efficient Shadowhunters. Haven’t’ you ever wondered why you are so much better than the others of your own age?”

Jace leaned against the cold stone wall behind him, “No, you’re lying”

“I’m afraid not. I haven’t lied about the rest of it, why would I start now?”

“What type of blood did he use?”

“Why the blood of angels and demons of course, it was all to make us better. Father did love his little experiments.”

Jace turned to face the wall behind him placing his hand on the jagged rock, he felt like he was going to be sick. His stomach churned and he knew he’d heard enough. He ran past the cells and up the stairs needing to be away from this cold dead city and out into the sunlight and the warmth of the world. He ran past the Inquisitor and one of the Silent Brothers almost knocking them down and ignoring their calls for him. Jace didn’t stop until the sun shone down on him once again and there in the cemetery he found Alec waiting on him. He ran into the arms of his Parabatai and he let Alec comfort him. Jace didn’t ask how he knew where to find him or why he was there; he just let him take him back home to the Institute.

Alec’s voice was soothing, “Simon was worried about you. He sent me to bring you back”, Jace just nodded, “Anything you need to talk about? I’m here if you need me?”

“I know, thank you”, Jace breathed out a heavy sigh and then slowly walked up the stairs and into his room.

Simon almost knocked him over as he flung himself into him holding onto him tightly, “Don’t you ever do that to me again, do you hear me Jace? I was worried about you”

“I’m sorry. I just needed to get away”, Jace moved over to the bed and told Simon the whole story about finding out his true identity from the Inquisitor and then how he needed to talk to Jonathan about it. He left out the part of how he was injected with angel and demon blood as an infant. He hoped to take that secret to the grave and he would insist that Jonathan never tell another soul either. Jace didn’t want Simon to know. He wouldn’t let anything jeopardize what they were to each other and his greatest fear was that this was going to change everything. Jace had no way of knowing that everything was going to change, but it wouldn’t be about what was inside of Jace it would be because of what was inside of Simon.


	24. Chapter 24

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jace looks for answers and finds them in an unlikely source

Chapter 24

Jace didn’t want to talk about his new knowledge regarding his family tree. He knew the Lightwoods would all have questions, but he wasn’t ready to face the truth of it all. Robert and Maryse had returned that afternoon from Idris, but he couldn’t face them. He had thought of them as adoptive parents. They had raised him because they believed him to be the son of their friend. It had all been a lie, he had been raised by the man they loathed, and he was the true son of a man he never knew. Simon had wanted to take care of him, but he had sent him home. Jace needed to be alone with his thoughts. He needed to figure out who he was as an orphan all over again. 

The others stayed away all afternoon and into the night; they must have sensed that he wasn’t ready to speak to them. Once it was late he snuck down into the library. He pulled the books he thought might have answers for him and there in a dusty leather bound book he found the Herondale name. He read over the names wanting to connect with them, but the words gave him no meaning. He read of Edmund, Owen, James, William, and finally he found Stephen. He searched for hours spilling over more books until he found a photo. It was a wedding picture of his parents. The moment he saw his mother’s cheekbones and his father’s eyes he knew it was true. He saw himself in that picture looking back at him in a way he never saw when he looked at Valentine. 

He gathered the books he wanted to keep a little longer and went back up to his room. The halls were dark dimly lit by witchlight. He almost didn’t hear her behind him, “What are those?” Her voice startled him and he dropped the books he had been clutching to his chest.

“Books, it’s a little late Clary, shouldn’t you be asleep”, he knelt down to pick them up and she was there beside him helping.

Jace took the two she held in her hands and she answered him, “Couldn’t sleep. Dealing with the fact that I found out my father was alive only to lose him all over again.”

He nodded realizing she was going through as much as he was and he hadn’t exactly been aware of that before. He’d been too wrapped up in his own issues to see that others were dealing with their own truths, “How are you doing with that?”

“Do you actually care or are you just trying to be polite”, she flipped her hair back from her shoulder.

“Would you believe me if I said I cared?” He attempted a smile at her.

Clary wavered, looking him over, “I don’t know, maybe”, she paused considering her next words, “I’m doing okay I guess. I wasn’t exactly close to Valentine. I think Jonathan is the one who is having the hardest time. He’s here you know. The Inquisitor brought him by after dinner.”

“She’s my grandmother”, Jace said it out loud and for the first time he was able to believe it.

“I know”, she looked away at the wall for a moment and then continued, “Sorry, I sort of overheard her telling the Lightwoods earlier. So how are you doing with all of this?”

“I’m not really sure. It’s a lot finding out your whole life is a lie and that you’re not who you thought you were”, Jace ran his hand through his tousled hair.

“Not your whole life”, he watched as she fumbled with the hem of her shirt, “I mean the Lightwoods love you. Alec and Izzy will always be like siblings to you. Simon obviously seems to care about you”. Clary pressed her lips together the way she always did when she was thinking about something. “What was my father like? Was he a good dad?”

Jace gulped, he hadn’t been expecting that question, actually it was the first time he’d really thought about the fact that Clary’s father raised him, but not his own daughter. “Yea, he was mostly a great father. One year I wanted to take a bath in spaghetti noodles on my birthday and he made it happen. I loved him, I grieved for him after I watched him die, but now it all seems different.”

“Just because you find out he isn’t your biological father doesn’t mean you didn’t lose your dad”, she looked straight at him in a way that seemed she was a little jealous of Jace.

“You know for a mundane, you’re pretty smart, Fray”, he ran his thumb over the spine of one of the books he was holding.

Clary smiled, “I’m not a mundane. I actually start shadowhunter training tomorrow. Jonathan said he’d show me some things.”

“Do you trust him?” Jace wanted to know what the fiery girl thought of her brother.

“He has to earn that, but he’s my brother. I have to give him a chance, don’t I?” She crossed her arms in front of her chest.

Jace nodded, “Is it strange that I feel like his brother too. I mean we were raised by the same man just a few miles apart. He knew I existed, but I never knew about him. I feel as though we probably have a lot in common.”

“No it’s not strange. He needs all the family he can get right now. He didn’t have the Lightwoods the way you did and he didn’t have Luke and my mom the way I did. He only had Valentine. I think he needs us. Will you help me with him?” Clary held out her hand expecting him to shake it.

Jace took it in hers, “It’s a deal, then.”

She smiled up at him, “So what do I call you now? You’re not a Wayland anymore”

“I don’t know yet. I don’t know if I feel like a Herondale yet, but I don’t know about using Lightwood either. Maybe I should just be Jace”, he leaned against the wall.

“If you want my opinion and I’m going to give it whether you want it or not, I think you should get to know your grandmother and I have to say I think Herondale suits you. Jace Herondale has a nice ring to it”, Clary never seemed to hold back with him and he was beginning to respect her for it.

He grinned, “I’ll think about it, um, do you have Simon’s phone number?”

“He’s my best friend, of course I have it. Why, don’t you have it?”

“We’ve been together pretty much since we met. He’s back at home and well I forgot to get his phone number before he left.” Jace fidgeted with the books he carried.

“You don’t need his phone number, he’s in my room. I know you told him to go, but he wouldn’t leave.” Clary confessed to him.

Jace beamed, “You mean he’s here?” Clary nodded to him also smiling, “If he’s still awake would you send him to my room?”

“Why don’t you just come with me and get him yourself”, Clary hooked her arm in Jace’s and led him down the hall, “Come on Lover boy, let’s go get your boyfriend”. Jace didn’t care for the mocking tone in which Clary called him by his new nickname, but he couldn’t help but smile at her calling Simon his boyfriend.


	25. Chapter 25

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Simon and Jace say and do things they can't take back

Chapter 25

They entered Clary’s room and Jace saw Simon sprawled across the bed soundly sleeping. He walked over removing his glasses from his face and placed them on the nightstand before lightly letting his fingers run through Simon’s dark wavy curls. Jace could feel Clary’s eyes on him and it made him nervous, “He’s already asleep so I guess I’ll just see him in the morning”.

Jace started to walk away, but Clary’s voice stopped him in his tracks, “Why don’t you sleep here with him. I’ll go back to your room.” She walked over and took the books from his arm, “I’ll take these back for you”, and then she was gone without giving Jace time to argue with her. He smiled pulling his shirt off over his head and climbed into the warm sheets next to his beautiful boy. Simon rolled over into him nuzzling his face into the crook of Jace’s neck.

“Clary”, Simon moaned against Jace’s skin and the blonde tensed. It had not been the name he wanted to hear from those lips. Jace just looked at Simon smiling and it made him sick to his stomach. As much as Jace wanted to believe that Simon didn’t love his best friend, this was the proof that showed that he did. He slowly crawled out of the bed no longer wanting to lay there next to him only to hear him whisper someone else’s name all night. Jace put his shirt on and quietly left the room. He then realized he couldn’t go back to his room since Clary was sleeping there and he didn’t want to admit to that Simon had said her name.

Jace walked down the corridor and slipped into what he presumed to be an empty room only to find Jonathan sitting on the floor in front of a roaring fire in the fireplace. “Oh, sorry, thought this room was empty”, he started to leave when he saw the long white marks against Jonathan’s back. He’d never seen him with his shirt off, his back was muscular and long, but it was covered with scars. “What happened to your back?” The curious words were out of Jace’s mouth before he could stop them.

“Lessons my father didn’t want me to forget”, his words full of hate as he took a swig from the vodka bottle he’d held between his legs.

“He beat you?” Jace asked already knowing the answer.

“Repeatedly”, it was one word, but it made Jace flinch in the firelight. 

“I’m sorry”, Jace whispered.

Jonathan hung his head down, he looked sad, “Why, were you the one holding the whip?” He didn’t wait for Jace to answer, “Are you coming in or leaving, either way do what you’re going to do and shut the door”, he took another long gulp of his vodka. Jace stepped further into the room closing the door behind him. “Want a drink?”

“I don’t know. I’ve never drank before”

Jonathan laughed, “Really, well you’re long overdue. Come and sit with me. I’ll share”, he handed the glass bottle to Jace who put the bottle to his lips and took a small sip before coughing. Jonathan laughed again at him, “It gets better, I promise”

“That’s disgusting. Why would you drink that?” Jace’s throat burned from the alcohol.

“To forget my problems, it numbs everything”, Jonathan took another drink.

Jace grabbed the bottle from him, “Then I need some more” and this time took a big mouthful of the cold liquid. 

Jonathan smiled, “So who are you trying to forget? Our father, your new grandmother, or did your little mundane upset you”

“All of the above” and he drank more of the vodka down attempting to catch up with Jonathan. They were quiet for a while just watching the fire dance before them and passing the bottle back and forth. Jace began to feel better, he wasn’t worried about his family or Simon or losing his father again. It was like looking through a rose colored kaleidoscope and he’d never seen the world quite like this before. He let his eyes fall over Jonathan who sat next to him; he let his eyes roam over his pale skin, his firm body. He gulped and licked his lips, his inhibitions gone. 

“Like what you see?” Jonathan smirked at him.

“I never noticed how attractive you were before. We really could have been brothers. Our features are quite similar”, Jace’s words were a little slurred.

“I’m not sure if that was a compliment for yourself or for me, but I’m sure this is the vodka talking and not you”, Jonathan stood up and put his shirt on.

Jace pouted, “Aww you don’t have to cover up for little old me”

“Yes I do. I am flattered and in most cases I’d take you to bed right now, but we’d both regret it in the morning”, Jonathan offered his hand to Jace and helped him up from the floor. 

Jace stumbled completely off balance in his current inebriated state and fell into Jonathan planting their lips together. They were soft and warm and more pliable than Jonathan had let on moments before. Then strong hands shoved Jace back and he crashed into the wall, “Fuck that hurt”

“You’re going to hurt worse in the morning and hopefully you won’t remember any of this. Now go on to bed Jace. You can’t stay here”, Jonathan was firm leading him from the room and closed the door in his face.

Jace touched his lips that had only moments ago been on Jonathans. They tingled, they felt strange to him and he wiggled his finger against them. The sensation causing him to giggle and he rocked back forth down the hallway as if on a ship sailing over stormy seas. He couldn’t remember getting into bed, but he could feel the crisp sheets beneath his fingertips and he scooted over into the warm body next to him wrapping them in his arms.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Let me know what you think. I didn't know this was going to happen until my fingers wrote it.


	26. Chapter 26

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jace wakes up to a surprise

Chapter 26

The next thing Jace knew he heard Simon’s voice and he smiled, then he realized how loud the voice was, and his head started pounding in his skull. He tried to concentrate on the words, but was still lost in a fog. Then he heard Clary’s voice just as loud and closer; Jace’s eyes shot open and sat up where he lay. He saw Simon staring at him from the foot of the bed rage evident in his face and next to him laid Clary wrapping the white sheets around her. Jace looked at himself lying there naked and then over to her with her red hair spilling over her shoulders in shock. “By the Angel, what are you doing in my bed, Clary?”

“Me? I left you in my room with Simon. What are you doing in here?” Then her nose curled and her mouth made a twisted face, “You reek, were you drinking?”

Before Jace could answer a violent wave of nausea overtook him and he floundered out of the bed butt naked and ran for the bathroom only to hurl the contents of his stomach into the toilet. He lay down on the floor, the cold tile soothing his stomach and his skin. He could still hear Clary and Simon arguing, but he couldn’t concentrate on listening to their words. Then he heard a door slam and Simon stood in the entrance of his bathroom, “Please don’t yell. I can’t deal with it. My head is pounding”, Jace pleaded with Simon who stood over him.

“I’m not going to yell at you, at least not yet”, Simon grabbed a washcloth from the sink and wet it before laying it on the back of Jace’s neck. Then he sat on the edge of the bathtub and rubbed small circles on Jace’s back. Jace breathed out slowly, it felt nice, and he laid his cheek against the cool tile on the wall. “So do you remember anything about last night because all I know is that I fell asleep in Clary’s room only to find her in your bed this morning? Please, Jace, just tell me this is all a huge misunderstanding”

Jace sat up, his mouth was as dry as the desert, and his head throbbed, “I remember drinking with Jonathan”

“Why were you drinking at all and why were you with him? This isn’t making any sense. Clary said you were staying with me. Why would you leave me and go to him?” Simon was frustrated.

The memories were hazy, but slowly they were coming back to him, and then he remembered. He heard Simon say Clary’s name all over again in his sleep. “I was angry with you”, Jace took the towel from his neck and stood up off the floor and walked back into his room. He was starting to get dressed as Simon followed him out.

“I was asleep. How could you have possibly gotten angry with me? What were you pissed off that I was actually tired? Jace just talk to me”, Simon stepped closer to Jace.

“Honest, really, you want honest, okay how about you be honest with me about your feelings for Clary?” Jace’s anger was outweighing his headache.

Simon scowled, “We’re back to that? I find you in bed with her, but you want to know about my feelings for her? You can’t be serious”

“Just get out, Simon”, Jace screamed at him only causing his head to pound more.

“No, not until you explain this shit to me?” Simon was just as loud as Jace had been.

“You said her name. I crawled into bed with you and you snuggled up into me only to smile and call out her name. It’s obvious she’s the one you want and not me”, Jace was hurt and it was written all over his face and in every word he spoke. The pain was palatable in the room.

Simons’ face went white, “I didn’t know. I was asleep in her room. I guess my mind just assumed it was her”

“Did your body assume it to as it cozied up to me? Do you normally cuddle with your best friend or is she actually more than just a friend. I remember what you said at the coffee house. You said you wanted more from her” Jace turned his back on Simon, he was angry and betrayed and couldn’t stare into those puppy dog brown eyes any longer.

“Jace”, it was only one word and it was a choke escaping from Simon’s throat. 

“You should leave”

Simon ran his arms over Jace’s back and pulled him into his chest, “Please don’t do this. I didn’t know what I was saying. I didn’t mean it.”

Jace spun, his eyes haunted, “So you don’t have feelings for Clary?”

“I did, I mean maybe a part of me still does, but I never felt for her what I feel for you. I swear. It’s only you Jace”, he was begging him.

A part of Jace wanted to believe him, but another part only heard Simon say that a part of him still had feelings for Clary and he wanted to rip out Simon’s heart the way he had torn out Jace’s. “It doesn’t matter anyway.”

“Of course it does, you matter to me Jace. I’ve never been with anyone but you. I’ve never kissed another’s lips. Let’s work through this”, Simon pleaded.

Jace retaliated in the only way he knew how, “I have. I’ve kissed another. Actually I kissed someone last night. You know I didn’t expect Jonathan’s lips to be so soft”, before he could go on Simon slapped him hard on the face. It stung enough for just a moment Jace forgot about his heart and head aching.

“You two deserve each other. Fatherless psychopathic assholes”, Simon stormed out of the room slamming the door again and Jace sunk to the floor wanting to take it all back.


	27. Chapter 27

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jace has a few confrontations

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So sorry I've been MIA for a while now. I've just been out of the whole writing mind set, let's call it writer's block I guess. I just haven't been feeling it lately, but today I have set myself down at the computer and am making myself get something down. I know where I'm going with this story so that helps. Hope you all stick with me. Thanks for reading.

Chapter 27

The moment Simon was gone Jace wanted to take it all back; he wanted to get up off the cold floor and run after him, but his pride held him grounded into place. Jace was too proud to ever be someone’s second place and he felt that with Simon he always would be. His head pounded in his skull, the nausea surrounding him, and he regretted every drink of the cold alcohol from the evening before. Most of all he regretted kissing Jonathan. Jace knew he didn’t want him, he’d only kissed him to cause Simon the same hurt he’d felt at hearing Clary’s name. The room was spinning as he crawled back into bed wanting to forget everything and dream only of Simon.

Hours later he awoke, his throat dry, and his stomach yearning for food. Jace dressed, splashed some cold water on his face, and made his way down to the kitchen. He saw bare feet sticking out from under the fridge and as he drew closer he saw Jonathan drinking milk straight from the gallon. Jonathan backed up at hearing someone approach and placed the milk back in the refrigerator. “Oh, it’s you. If you’re here to hit me, you should know you’ve already been beaten to it today, a lot”

“I’m not here to hit you. There’s nothing to hit you for”, Jace said as he grabbed the milk and took a few swigs.

“Someone should tell your friends that”, Jonathan walked across the kitchen and sat on the counter as he grabbed an apple.

“Which friends are you talking about? Who hit you?” Jace grabbed a few things from the fridge and started making a sandwich.

Jonathan wiped the juice from the apple that was running down his chin with the back of his hand, “Hell all of them. Clary, Simon, Izzy, and Alec, they’ve all slapped or punched me at some point this morning”

“I’m sorry, they shouldn’t have done that. I’ll tell them you weren’t to blame”, Jace licked a bit of mustard off his thumb.

“I was the one that got you drunk. I knew you were vulnerable it was written all over your face when you walked in. I should have just told you to go instead of offering you the bottle”, Jonathan said and then took another bite of apple.

Jace stood at the counter eating his sandwich, “I didn’t have to drink it. I didn’t have to kiss you, and I certainly didn’t have to tell Simon about it this morning”

“That explains a lot”, Jonathan hopped off the counter and threw the apple core in the trash. “He punched me pretty hard in the jaw this morning as he was leaving and I wasn’t sure how he knew”

“He left?” Jace stilled every muscle in his body waiting for the answer.

“Yea, he had his bag with him. He didn’t look like he was coming back anytime soon”, Jonathan leaned against the arched entryway.

Jace’s face fell in anguish. He knew Simon was pissed, but he hadn’t expected him to just be gone. He wasn’t sure what he had expected, but somehow he’d been picturing Simon in Clary’s room all day. “So he told everyone and left”, it wasn’t a question. It was just a factual statement that Jace said out loud as if telling his self again to let it sink in.

He heard giggling behind him and turned to see the two girls walking in with their red and black hair swirling around them. Clary’s eyes landed on Jace like a heat lamp and she stormed across the room her black heeled boots clicking with each stomp on the tile. She raised her hand and let it fly into Jace’s face; he could have blocked her, but he knew he deserved the pain. Her words stung more than her hand, “I told you not to hurt him and you said you wouldn’t. You should have seen him when he left this morning. You broke his heart, for what, for that asshole”, she pointed to Jonathan. “I thought that maybe you actually cared for him, but he never meant anything to you, did he? You were just toying with the little mundane boy for fun. Well what is fun? Did you get in a good laugh at his expense? I hate you”, she spit the words in his face and slapped him again for good measure. Jace just stood there speechless. “You don’t even have anything to say for yourself. You disgust me”, she left the room with her fists clenched in little balls of fury.

Isabelle just stood there watching the scene before her, “What the hell happened last night, Jace?” She looked just as angry, but she also seemed to want to hear his version of the story. “Clary said that Simon told her you kissed him last night” she nodded toward Jonathan.

“It’s true”, he told her and she shook her head as if unable to understand. “A lot happened last night, things I wish I could change, but I can’t. I’m sure you hate me too”

Isabelle threw her arms around him, “I could never hate you. You’re like my brother”, she kissed him on the cheek, “But this is for hurting Simon and Alec”. She raised her knee slamming it straight into Jace’s crotch and he sunk to his knees in pain. “Alec told me about the greenhouse”, Jace fell over onto his side and watched as Izzy’s high heeled shoes walked out of the room. 

Jace felt the tears in his eyes attempting to blind him from the agony he felt in his groin and the torment in his heart, but he blinked them back. Suddenly Jonathan’s arms were pulling him up from the floor, “I think they’re definitely more angry with you than with me”, Jace laughed at Jonathan’s words thankful for the distraction. “Why don’t we get out of here for a while?” Jace nodded and followed Jonathan out of the Institute and into the city after grabbing a few weapons and getting in their gear. They were both hoping for a fight and were going out to find one.

They prowled the city streets together waiting for a demon to step in their path. It didn’t take long when you knew which dark alleys to search. They worked well together probably since they were both trained by the same man. The blades whipped through the air taking down demon after demon. Together they were unstoppable; two lean blonde shadowhunters in complete sync with each other. It had been a long night, the sun was starting to rise, sweat ran down their bodies, and they smiled, and nodded a new acceptance to each other as they walked back to the Institute.


	28. Chapter 28

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Alec has to tell Jace some bad news...

Chapter 28

The moment Jace stepped inside the Institute he felt that a shift had happened. Something was wrong, he could feel it in his gut, but he didn’t understand what he was feeling. Before he could ask Jonathan if he felt the same thing Alec stepped out into the witchlight of the corridor. “Jace, we need to talk”, Alec’s words chilled him to the bone.

“What happened?” Jace asked, but he wasn’t sure he really wanted to know the answer.

“Let’s go sit down”, Alec tried to move them into the sitting room just off the main hallway.

“No”, Jace’s voice was firm, but fear was laced in his words, “Tell me now”, he glanced around the room wondering why Isabelle wasn’t here too, “Is it Izzy or Clary? Is Max okay?”

“They’re all fine”, Alec looked away from Jace and bit his lip not wanting to say more.

“Then what, your parents? Please Alec, just say it. I’m sure whatever I’m thinking is worse than the reality”, Jace hoped that last sentence was true.

Alec stepped forward and put his hand on Jace’s shoulder, “It’s Simon”, it was the one name Jace couldn’t bear to hear, “He went back to the Hotel Dumont last night”.

Jace sunk to his knees in the foyer, his heart ached, his throat dry, he felt numb and unable to speak. Jonathan’s voice spoke out for him, “Why would he go there? What happened?”

“He had bitten a vampire when he was there the last time as a rat, apparently he’d swallowed some of the blood, and he was afraid he was becoming one of them. I’m not sure why he didn’t just talk to one of us, but he went there instead seeking answers”, Alec dropped to the floor next to Jace and forced his gold eyes to look into his blue eyes, “Raphael saved him before the vampires had killed him, he brought him here to us, but it was still too late to save him completely.”

Jace finally spoke, “What do you mean completely?”

“He was going to die; he’d lost too much blood. Clary made the decision for him”, Alec spoke but Jace still didn’t understand.

“What decision? Alec what are you talking about?” He was begging for answers.

“They are with him at the Jewish cemetery now waiting for him to rise as a vampire. I’m so sorry, Jace”, Alec didn’t want to be the one who had to tell him.

“No”, Jace screamed, his voice ripping from his throat, “Why would she choose that for him? She’s choosing for him to be a blood sucker, a downworlder, he might as well be dead. I’m sure he would have preferred death. He wouldn’t have chosen that”

Jonathan kneeled down with them, “You don’t know that Jace. Faced with the decision to die or stay here as a vampire and still see your loved ones, he might have chosen the latter.”

Jace shoved Jonathan away from him, “I did this. I killed him. I pushed the one man I’ve ever loved away because of silly words and one drunken night. He’d have been here with me. I would never have let him go back to that hotel. This is all my fault”, Jace got up and ran up the stairs to his room. He was angry at the world, but most of all he was angry at himself. Jace heard Alec running after him, but he slammed the wooden door in his face before he could enter the room.

“Jace, open the damn door, let me help you through this”, Alec pounded on the door causing it to shake the walls.

“You’d love that wouldn’t you? You want me to cry on your shoulder and console me so you can be the one I’m with. It’ll never happen Alec. I won’t ever love you the way I loved Simon. Go away”, Jace knew his words would cut his Parabatai as if they were a blade, but he didn’t care. In that moment he cared for nothing because his beautiful boy would never be beautiful again.

Alec broke the door down and ran towards Jace, he expected a fight, but Alec just pulled Jace to his chest and held him, “I don’t really care if you think that’s why I’m here. I’m here because you are my Parabatai and I know how badly you are hurting right now. I stayed behind to be with you and help you because I knew this would destroy you.” Jace gave in sinking into Alec’s chest, but unable to let the tears come. He choked them down until his throat ached. Simon was the only one to see that side of him and he’d never be that vulnerable with anyone else again. He pulled back and Alec ran his hand through Jace’s long blonde locks, “You know just because he’s a vampire doesn’t mean you can’t still love him, still be with him”

“Don’t be absurd, of course that’s what that means. The clave already frowns upon two men, but two men when one is a shadowhunter and the other is downworlder. They’ll never let that happen”, Jace stood up and went over to the window looking out over the city knowing somewhere Simon was out there, but they could never be together. “All my training has taught me to never trust a vampire.”

“I’m a shadowhunter man dating a male warlock. I know it’s not ideal, but it can work. He’s still Simon, he’ll just be different”, Alec tried to make it better.

“Different as in he will crave blood, and if he kills a human, I’ll have to kill him.” Jace started laughing, but it wasn’t a real laugh. It sounded more manic than happy. Jace felt that he would never feel joy again. He thought about going to the cemetery and seeing Simon one last time, but he thought better of it. The last vision he would have of his love would be that of a human boy. His bright brown eyes, his dark curls, the blush in his cheeks as they made love, and the feel of his warm lips on his. Jace closed his eyes and let the memories wash over him. Those memories would have to sustain him for the rest of his life. He heard Alec finally walk away; he listened to his boots sounding down the hallway, and then finally Jace let the tears fall down his face as he mourned for the boy he had lost.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is the final chapter in this part of the story. The next part will be titled An Immortal Body and it will be from Simon's point of view instead of Jace's. I'll hope to start that story in the next few days.
> 
> Hope you all continue the journey with me.


End file.
